I fear being like her and I am like her

the critical part that wants to hurt the other

render them helpless and needy

no one measuring up, everything falling short

like the woman on the news who bit the nose

of the pitbull that attacked her retriever (really happened)

I like to break skin, to see the frailty just below

blood, metallic to the taste, wounds in floral blooms

transpose to a cartography of scars, imaginary kingdoms

 

About the Author

Gretchen Mattox is the author of two books of poetry, Goodnight Architecture, New Issues Press 2002, and Buddha Box, a Green Rose Prize winner, New Issues Press 2004. She has an M.A. in Creative Writing from N.Y.U. and is currently enrolled in the Master of Psychology program at Antioch University. More information about the author can be found at: www.gretchenmattox.com