Jessica Altieri

Jessica Altieri Apr 2015

Growling, snarling, rumbling through
The roots and tunnels leading
Upward

Threat signals smeared along
My lower back, the backs of my knees, my jaw, my tongue
My throat

Run, backwards and forwards or up and out or down and stop.

Let me stop gripping and straining and
Gnawing where the bone does not
Protect.

A small creature only wishes to
Grow.

#voice #insecurity #cellar

Jessica Altieri Mar 2015

My Neck is a Nest

My neck is a nest
The warmth in it an ever present creature that
Oscillates and breeds and collects
And attracts creatures that do not

My neck is a nest
That doesn't just need to nurture but
To be nurtured and
Touched and kissed and electrified
In order to keep that warmth

My neck is a nest
That rests on an unsteady beating branch
And hangs under a filament-ridden sky
Neither of which can ever agree
But to disagree on whether
Niceness or smoothness or alcohol or hidden agendas
Should have anything to do with
How the warmth is kept

My neck is a nest
Full of hatchlings that have already
Dropped and soared
Dropped and stopped
Dropped and swooped at the last second
Where they are now
I have only an inkling.

My neck is a nest
That wishes to blend with the
Twigs and leaves and eggshells
That become it and
Be humbly content with who
It wants to attract and collect and warm.

Exploration of my own sexuality and what I need versus what I want.

#imagery #march #neck #nest

Jessica Altieri Dec 2014

Pineapples in Vacuums

"Would it be entirely inappropriate of me to suggest a hangout session in which we go out for tea and some mostly-nonserious flirtation?", he asks, all of which is proceeded by more than two hours of silly, random banter involving eyeballs and pineapples in vacuums.

It seems being asked on a date has become so taboo, to the point that when it does happen, the natural reaction would be to say yes.

TBC...

#first #dating #date #vacuum #pineapple

Jessica Altieri Mar 2014

Okay

He's not my best friend
He's not my brother
He is not a stranger
He's been troubled
He's passed on
He is important.

You're not my best friend
You're not my friend
You are unbelievable
You obviously don't understand
You objectify
You complain
You ignore.

I believe in everyone
I question everything
I don't understand
I can't grasp how anyone could be like you
I now choose not to feel pain when
I can differentiate between pettiness and the real thing.

He is okay,
You are not, and
I will be.

Rest in Peace, Rob. 2/5/94-3/27/14

#okay

Jessica Altieri Mar 2014

Cast Systems

Concrete, bright yellow gauze, and a layer of dirt and ink
As if you really fell down a flight of stairs
She was at the top and you the bottom
You put her there, and she placed you here

Concrete, bright yellow gauze, and a layer of dirt and ink
Two weeks and it will be gone
Though I'm not sure mine own will suffice
If I intend on upholding your trust

Concrete, bright yellow gauze, and a layer of dirt and ink
You cover me more than his hand
Or maybe you protect us equally
From what might hurt us more,

From what could hurt us more.

— The End —