Poetry Found in Issue 1
Asbestos
There is asbestos in my ceiling
The asbestos had always been there
I cough a lot recently
My landlord says it’s fine,
The asbestos had always been there
I should quite smoking instead he said
The last tenant didn’t complain,
That the asbestos had always been there
Why should I complain, why should I move out?
The asbestos had always been there anyway
~ xXS4R4Xx
Jaws
Haunted by your touch
brushing on my skin
underneath my childhood bathing suit
I am swimming in the water like a seal
and like a shark you grab me
I can feel myself being pulled down
down
down
I look up at the fading hope of the sun above me and I reach out my hand
Grasp at the sky
But now everything is you
~Lacy<3
Sitting Alone in a Barnes and Noble
My leg starts to bounce
I am scared of all the men here
They look like hard conservatives
And I am in my lab coat that had leftist gay patches and pins all over it
I want a friend to be here with me
One of my strong men I keep around me
I want the protection of having someone else around
I miss feeling safe and surrounded
It has been so long
My legs are bouncing and
I want a friend but
I am alone
Sitting in a Barnes and Noble
~Lacy<3
Loaded
loaded-failed are my manifestos
close are my friends
I am the golden eagle flying above the town
I am the tie-dye dragon flying above them all
Previously, different, I was the white worm
Crawling through the cracks in the pavement
Albinism baring me to the harsh rays of the sun
Reclusive, small, easily crushed
~Riotrot
Ignore The Razor In My Bag
Ignore the razor in my bag
I have to hide it there
Ignore the razor in my bag
For it isn’t going anywhere
Ignore the scars upon my shins
For they are here to stay
Ignore the scars upon my shins
I like them there anyways
Ignore the untouched bowl of food
Where it sits by my bed
Ignore the untouched bowl of food
Like I ignore the thoughts inside my head
Ignore me
Till I’m better
Ignore the way I am
Ignore me
Till I’m better
Till I believe I am
~Lacy<3
Unnamed
I reached into my chest, jagged and bitten nails pushing into the skin so hard they pop!
through the skin and tear through the muscles.
410,757,864,530 HOMELESS QUEER KIDS
I grip my heart with such ferocity my knuckles turn white under the blood, my fingers
crack and dislocate as they pierce the thump thump thumping muscle.
410,757,864,530 STAIRCASES
I keep pushing, up to the elbow now
410,757,864,530 DEAD QUEERPHOBES
Keep. Pushing.
410,757,864,530 DEAD ABLEISTS
I gasp with relief as I break through the skin on my back and shake my heart loose of my
broken fingers. My arm is permanently stuck inside of me, bone shards holding it
captive. I raise my other hand and begin the process again.
410,757,864,530 FOLKPUNK SONGS SCREAMED IN MY BEDROOM
~Riotrot