Interview with Girlhood Fears
Danielle Mitchell
Railroad tracks. Boys & spit. Teacher saying come to the board.
These are the things you fear, girl. Mouth spinning like a top.
Sewers; dip of the street that welcomes the rain.
Clowns named for pronouns: It. Him. They coming to get you.
Avalanche of bees attacking your best friend. & your best friend.
A girl, opening for a beast. The fat rolls of your skin.
& cellulite. Inner thighs wrenched like a Rubik’s Cube.
Too hard. Too thick. Trespassers, thieves. Running the mile.
Not knowing how to run & breathe. Run & scream. Going fast.
Going too fast. Slut. Cow. You were a girl once, genie
granting wishes that only came true for birds. No, look closer
you have been eaten by the ones you serve. Boombox, shovel.
To obey; to have the nerve. Soft wet palms, kindness, shins.
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These are the things you fear, girl. Mouth spinning like a top.
Sewers; dip of the street that welcomes the rain.
Clowns named for pronouns: It. Him. They coming to get you.
Avalanche of bees attacking your best friend. & your best friend.
A girl, opening for a beast. The fat rolls of your skin.
& cellulite. Inner thighs wrenched like a Rubik’s Cube.
Too hard. Too thick. Trespassers, thieves. Running the mile.
Not knowing how to run & breathe. Run & scream. Going fast.
Going too fast. Slut. Cow. You were a girl once, genie
granting wishes that only came true for birds. No, look closer
you have been eaten by the ones you serve. Boombox, shovel.
To obey; to have the nerve. Soft wet palms, kindness, shins.