It is getting close   

Too close to February
A month that wants to knock the hell out of me
See my face swell up, my jaw rearranged
I will be able to view the world with my one eye   

The contusions will circle a secret color wheel
Reserved for those who meet with collision   

1 Red
2 Strange magenta  
3 Purple
4 Black
5 Sickly yellow
6 Invisible spider web   

A face that is better hidden   
That
Silences men
And causes odd delight in some women
Who can’t help but whisper to each other   

“She had it coming”
They hope I will scar   

I am laughing at them   

If only they could see how I have crawled, trying to reach the sea breeze
From the iron bed
To the veranda
Like a dog   

I can even bark when fucked don’t they know this
Then magically the following morning with a baby on my back   

1 Set afternoon tea
2 Take a cutlass to the yard
3 Tote water
4 Smile when told
5 Rely on lucky charms
6 Play pretend   

Years later faint scars will be visible under direct sunlight
One eye extraordinarily skewed  
A permanent hematoma for life   

It is my beautiful red jewel
Outlandish intimate bond  
Secret vow   

Catalyst to my new lover:
Papaver somniferum   

lunar moth
goodnight
black
black
black   

Published in Poetrybay July 2016