small sprouts of life
you peek your small heads
from the home of my skin
ankles sprayed with the salt of New Jersey ocean
knees scraped by rough pavement as I disjoined from my purple tricycle
feet stung by a honey bee hiding from his friends in a clover patch unwanted
you emerge
our daily engagement features
my sharp blades chopping your heads
only those smaller than the blade live to tell the tale
growing darker and coarser with resentment
blond hair replaced by brown
thriving on oral history
you tell the future generations
of the monster I become
you peek your small heads
from the home of my skin
ankles sprayed with the salt of New Jersey ocean
knees scraped by rough pavement as I disjoined from my purple tricycle
feet stung by a honey bee hiding from his friends in a clover patch unwanted
you emerge
our daily engagement features
my sharp blades chopping your heads
only those smaller than the blade live to tell the tale
growing darker and coarser with resentment
blond hair replaced by brown
thriving on oral history
you tell the future generations
of the monster I become
Anne Mares is a rising senior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.