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by Erika Walsh What does hot mean is it the same as pretty Is it the same as good Which headband looks best with my skirt How many boyfriends should I have What is the normal amount Once I had four whole boyfriends If someone calls me hot should I run Should I curtsey I can see your mustache do all girls get a mustache Do you know 8 x 3 No don’t use your fingers No do it in your head Do you like this picture I drew It’s of you I forgot to add your mustache Can you hand me a crayon Once I had a temperature Once I had to stay home from school Truth or dare No say dare Truth or dare You’re not allowed to say truth One of my boyfriends told my other boyfriend He was going to punch him in the face Then we all worked on our drawings Does getting punched in the face feel like burning Do your ears fall off after you die Let’s play family You can be the dog You can be the little boy Will I actually get to wear wings Put this hat on Good Now you look like a boy Can I bring you in for show and tell The letter is E like for Erika Can I bring you in for show and tell The letter is S Sister Can I bring you in for show and tell The letter is A can I bring you Artifact Alprazolam I saw the bottle on your desk Apparition Appetite I left food for you And for the deer You stood with them In trees and ivy Eyes yellow like an egg and cooked A baby playing family Hooved The flies in your hair like a bow  photo by Claire McClusky Erika is a poet and co-founding editor of A Velvet Giant, a genreless literary journal. Her work has been featured in Hotel Amerika, Hobart, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, Peach Mag, Dream Pop, and elsewhere. She was awarded a residency to attend Art Farm Nebraska this summer. She works in academic publishing and lives in Brooklyn with her pet cat, Willa. Find more here. |