“I have stretched out my skin
I have worn my face out
This is the last day of my life
And the first day of hers

Everything I am and have been
Is now sewn into her lineage
Everything she will one day be
Has to be better than what I was

The pressure of creating a perfect home
Is the only thing that keeps me calm
The stresses of becoming a role model
Only make me try to be better

The reason I’m in this position
Is the reason I get out of bed everyday
This is the last day of my life
And the first day of hers”

- Who I strive to be when my time comes

Lovely lovely rosy
You ran from my pale cheeks
In my mouth you’ve cozied-
Hiding there for weeks

In my spit you linger
Causing me to cough
When I’m spitting up my dinner
To shed a few pounds off

Dear skin,
For all intents and purposes
For all those willing to listen
For all people who are lost
For all the threatening thoughts
For all the times it happened
For all the times it never did-
This is why I did it.
Sincerely,


Knife.

I stood, unformed, a block of stone
I had no name I had no form
I was unharmed and unhappy
I was uninspired I was wasted potential.

In you walked with my purpose in your mind
Inch by inch you conquered my exterior
Making a rock into a marble masterpiece
I took up an image you chose for me

My imperfection chiseled away
My silhouette carved from the core
My details etched to refinement
Your mark engraved in my mind

The moon woke me up with a sideways grin
In my bassinette, in my hollowed home
I used my foot to scratch my chin
I ruffled and preened, as I lacked a comb

Brother has gone to find me dreaming
Sister sees me restlessly sleeping
Father is a sun whose face is now beaming
Mother can be found behind me, weeping

Wings are for my stamina
Beak is for my bite
Bone becomes shear lamina
Now I can all but take flight.