The Annual ~~ acd t “Feet in the stirrups please.” A _ They look like bony, metal legs . And remind me of ancing on m ~ “With heels clamped in cold steel, It’s hard to think of dancing, a -. “Scoot to the end of the table” " ‘Tissue paper beneath, shreds in the shuffling, »/ Dingy black vinyl bleeds through sterile white A poster of a white kitten plasters the ceiling. Gaudy red cursive reads “What's new Pussy Cat?” “Just relax your knees, let them fall apart” The corners of the poster are yellowed and curled, _ : A distraction for the prone, @ play on words for the perverse. + y father's feet. . = « he: ny, ye .* é ? = e the other press © The snap of latex rolls over well-tended skin, Transforming warm pink hands into waxen instruments. . 7 “Does this hurt? Do you feel any pain; any tenderness? No and no, there’s no tenderness, Pussy Cat, that’s funny. . is up in some warm water : “| “Almost done here. I'll heat th > Blunt and stainless metal waved under a lukewarm stream. ‘ ee A baptism in flaccid tap water 43° Culture “Qk, a little pinch and here we g0-” (? Like an organ grinder, rubber hands work the crank. ‘. \ Parting flesh with warmed blades. ; ‘ “You'll feel a little pressure” ny 1 ‘ First a hollow thud and then a scrape, You know Pussy Cat, like preparing 4 Jack ‘O Lantern ~ x ‘ é . * iF ' “Pm just going to remove this and we are done here.” - Pale and blue tinged from the fluorescent lights, Stiff legs shake with the withdrawal. ; “Ifyou don’t hear from us in two weeks we'll see you next year. | With a wave and smile, the door is closed. } Bae Modesty restored for the clandestine act of dressing. ; It’s just the two of us, so tell me, what’s new Pussy Cat? I brush against a stirrup and the cold is shocking, Unable to dance, the jealous steel legs have already dispelled my warmth. Actually never mind, I don't even want 10 know. mulling over only half-expressed emotions is exhausting. this morning was painfully beautiful. | overcast and cool. | the air smelled scrubbed clean. red > cing me to the door, Pussy Cat, that’s funny. & * This room is erasing me for Irs not like I want to stay - u've called by Jennifer Aikman Look ’m not there » hen I know youre mine ck of merit scam al a the top your lg W your €all kno Up vote to Grass sings 1 don’t want to speak to you | just want to know yo Poetry Slam Ou- - uv & w oO ae 2 3 a 2 ° > s&s 3 a. v 3 ba a vo R a v “3 oe & uw S ° > u & 2 at i: | love it even more when you treat me like I j I need you to yell back at me because t <* __| live for when you look at me with starvation in your eyes F In Need of Therapy ¥€ ye + ~~ August 2003 7 | the floweri idn’ } owering trees didn’t have to compete with sunshine % ntion. 4 [love to make a scene in public and watch your ears turn » i indulged in a game i used to play when i was a little kid H “I need to rehash our relationship and be the center of atte! ~ i tested to see how far i could walk with my eyes closed i felt detached from my aging body. Il take some more | want all the passion you can stand and then I it is 7 rare pleasure to forget yourself. - i made it a cou ple of blocks, but had to open my eyes to cross a major st reet. u. . > g J O I First Ci arette I Ic I ub. anuary 2002 It is raini Taining wh en we 7 we stay close to the eo, side runs through th thers oe the corduroy up gutters of your Pants. straight U the murr ys y A y . . 0 ‘or to reassure m elf the creases stll line m brow. white still streaks m hair a quick assessment to make sure the heaviness and worry knots are where they ought to be. as Clos: € as a Sunday afterno on. di Fj ti * I arin with a match “Are you gaining weight?” Bo Carefully | a | From de ae my new flame a é tom you. t ' — % i > g r 4 ure boring me, i Good-bye Really I miss you You Bastard Come back I mean it this time by Louis Lame I need to worship at the altar of drama with you prostrate beside me | want to live within a soap opera with bitch-slaps and sto live for when you lose control and hand it all to me I love when you give me ammunition by asking, A high school relationship forever even with our tenth reunion looming If you can't give me these things then yo! | } \ i ‘ { ® sowes mo Aged ued 3m. sueagq Array Aq ; “hes “Mv ou oureu Mod Joquiauray UdA2 Apareq | - auodur aq ppnoo no } with the do ’e : the smoke owe €r umbrella . ‘UI 01 auOp aaey Nok Tey YOoT | Ae strip the cellophaty cae at her in reye qe 02 nod soy Suprem puey Au ur 4 oe Pack e from a new pack of 4 ouoyd arp pey as 1 yom Tuya | eginning u Maurier Lights “polo | puy . 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