Nightheart

Cigarettes entrance us 
because sucking poison through our lips
and letting the smoke puff out of our lungs
looks so much like the fairy tale dragons
that we never saw in real life, 

i.
don't take up too much
SPACE
girl, don't let your body
grow soft and
ever EXPANDING
like the universe
around   you, because
only men are allowed
to take up as much

Tell her that she’s beautiful, 
and watch her smile before 
she devours the compliment up 
lapping at every last honey drop 
at her fingers because she’s 
been starved for so long, 

Dear America. 

I don't think you ever loved me, no, 
i lost that illusion a long time ago, 
maybe the people inside you cared a little, 
but you? I don't think so, 

Dear America. 

It was the most 
beautiful shade of 
blue,  

the flag that 
was imprinted on her skin, 
right next to her eyes 
that shone brown. 

And then the 

Art is courage. 

Art is nights tearing at your hair 
because it doesn't sound right 
it doesn't look right. 

Art is stained hands and 
stained clothes and paper stained