a sequel
for a series already far too long.
i have been reading these books
page to page
since i was
10?
11?
too young altogether
to be introduced
to such vulgar prose.
books
which have yet to be banned:
persecuted
by PTA moms and religious leaders and conservatives.
instead
they turn a blind eye
with which they cannot see the pages.
a sequel.
the original is always better
but
all of these books are bad.
how am i supposed to trust?
when poor literature
is thrust upon me in a cycle?
how am i supposed
to crack open my ribcage
expose
the most vulnerable organ in my body?
when every chapter begins well
and ends
with
pressure and fear
wary
wavering hands
and
"no"s that fall on deaf ears.
my body language never says enough
or
you're only pretending like you can speak it.
a sequel.
written like a diary
where i'm supposed to feel bad for him
the protagonist
because he felt entitled to something
for which he had no deed
no claim.
other than masculinity
and the soft
burning
power
of a lover clothed in expectation and want.
a sequel.
a cycle.
when will my body grant me
hands to write?
rather than to bring you to your knees.
so that
i can write my own sequel:
which is not a celebration of power
but a celebration of choice.
YOU ARE READING
raw
Poetrya collection of honest, soul-bearing poetry. these are the parts of high school no one speaks openly about, and they represent the struggles of many students, including myself.
