This body communicates
like a recently liberated country
It only leads
& follows
& squabbles
Meaning sometimes,
when I walk,
my hands stop
& nail grudges to the
door of my hips
The hairs on my arms riot,
gooseflesh appearing
like looters,
pilfering memories of a once
unchallenged ease
This aggressive body
interrogates governments
& so far,
my appendix,
tailbone,
& wisdom teeth
have buckled
As tax increases,
this patriot body
launches crates of teeth into
the harbor of its gut
It is where
smiles go to drown
When I consider stillness,
when this body is drugged
with dusk,
my skin quakes
from 40 trillion cells
marching in protest
This modest body
writes an essay on cannibalism,
and only sells two copies:
One to an unbridled virus
The other to my immune system
Speaking of hunger,
it is a strike
against the good name of
my throat
A throat weak from
announcing the arrival of agony
This exhausted body
never wanted to go to
war
Lannie Stabile (she/her) was a finalist for the 2019/2020 Glass Chapbook Series, semifinalist for the Button Poetry 2018 Chapbook Contest, and Best of the Net 2019 nominee. Works are published/forthcoming in Glass Poetry, 8 Poems, Pidgeonholes, Monstering, Okay Donkey, Honey & Lime, and more. Lannie currently holds the position of Managing Editor at Barren Magazine. Twitter handle: @LannieStabile
Image via Pixabay
