“We were exchanging truths, which is to say, we were cutting one another.”

–Ocean Vuong, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

i knew i was ready when i
said give me a son.
i woke up the tenth day,
wailing in cramp
cat in nook of arm,
grateful for the gray sky,
the black cohosh that
lives in my cabinet, never
depleted.
give me a son then.

I watch the water turn to pink
as I do every moon cycle:
Lilith, my blood is yours,
I give it to you
wholeheartedly
may your will be done
through me.

“LOL”

Nyx read the note again: The theme this year is homemade and hidden. It was the only thing he let her have.

“valentine’s day (redone)” or “thirteen years of horror”

i began to dance with her
and sing and then i began
to entice her to run to
me from across the room.

i used to fall asleep to music boxes and my mother’s hands through my hair.

the first spell i taught my goddaughter
was that everything is
love.

my father used to hum all
around the house and narrate what he
was doing in a funny way .
he used to sing to me.

my favorite place
is tallest in a room
full of men
and just suddenly

commanding them

I used to practice lines
in front of my mirror,
sure to sometimes catch the
smirk, try to control
it.

2.

I used to sing
fairy tales to my closet
to see if the curtains would move.

1.