Childhood Imaginings

I imagined myself a porn star.

I imagined my body that of a siren;

Gleaming with the sheen of manufactured sweat.

I imagined myself nude but cloaked in the armor of modern Amazons;

Mile high platform stilettos and a G-string.

I imagined myself with hair perfectly styled like it’s the “morning after”.

I imagined myself with a pair of tits that someone finds delicious.

I imagined myself your man’s every fantasy.

I imagined myself strong and self-assured.

I imagined the red of my lips a declaration Continue reading

Support Group

Hello, my name is Taryn.

I am 24 years old.

I’ve never been married.

And I have a five year old daughter.

Being a parent is hard, especially when you are doing it alone.

I don’t know why but after the first year

I expected the nights when

She would keep me up until the wee hours

Of the morning to stop.

They haven’t.

Continue reading

Robbery

The morning sun through the windows caresses;

Illuminating the dust

On the cold, chipped marble floor.

The incessant chill seeps through

The denim jeans that felt a little too snug

Just a few minutes before.

I bought this sweater,

Discounted but still designer,

A few days ago.

It would be a shame if I bled on it.

Continue reading

Death’s First Day: in (an almost) sestina

It was the first time I killed a man.

Just shortly after 2 am.

Three people passed by unawares.

The fourth called an ambulance.

After five minutes of chest compressions

He was declared dead six minutes before.

*

A little while later six detectives convened

a solitary meeting to discuss possible suspects.

The five who made the list were interrogated

Continue reading

Duesenberg

Red

as the Big Apple, body

like Jean Harlow’s

lips.

Luxury liner

of America’s asphalt arteries.

Traded in,

gone like yesteryear,

in its place,

sits Honda;

Civic

pride in progress.