from POEMS ARE THE ONLY REAL BODIES
by Jennifer Tamayo
YOUR ART CONTROLS YOU BY PUTTING YOU DOWN ALL THE
TIME, IN PUBLIC AND IN PRIVATE. THEY MIGHT MAKE
OFFENSIVE JOKES ABOUT YOU IN PUBLIC, PATRONIZE YOU,
INSULT YOU OR MAKE RUDE SOUNDS WHILE YOU TALK.
Dear Ms. Ross,
a internet tells me your skull was cracked as a child
a internet tells me my birthplace
a internet shows me your hard-edged stare repeated hysterically
a internet lists out your many names
there’s a pleasure in these violences
when I see these things I feel in a Barbara Kruger way, Harriet
EVERYTHING
ALL
OVER
MY
FACE
this narrative violence that history imposes
you were you
I was I
The thick membrane of this happenstance; I’ll put my crack on it.
—
from POEMS ARE THE ONLY REAL BODIES
(read the full chapbook online for free)
Also available in Bloof’s first 6-in-1 chapbook collection, Bound.
