Sit down and begin to
unravel the secrets you tried
to bury inches deep
within your thigh.
Remember the giddy hollow of
after. How ringing out sheets
and watching Polaroid skin
as bruises, slowly, did sprout and spring
was almost enough to quiet it some nights.
How if only for a breath
you could relish in the rapture
instead of only diving through ash.
Discuss the way it felt to throw
yourself away from the inside out —
reaching and retching and clawing
with chapped twig fingers at all
those vile bits that bloomed inside of you.
You were just uprooting weeds.
You were just casting out veins.
Tell them how it was just like
tossing a coin into a city fountain —
but in reverse.
(and how it’s okay to admit
that you still miss the wishes.)
Kiernan Norman is a writer, actor, and singer. She serves pizza and makes a mean collage. She studies at Southern Connecticut State University and has also attended The New School University. Kiernan is, above all, trying to enjoy the ride.
Amanda Mabel is a fashion and portrait photographer living in Sydney, Australia. Originally from Singapore, she moved to Perth in 2011, then Sydney in 2012. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) (Honours) at the University of Sydney. In her free time, she loves taking photographs, travelling to beautiful places, and drinking tea. She also happens to blog for Vogue Australia Spy Style. She maintains a website at www.amandamabel.com and can be found on: Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Bloglovin Flickr.