YOU WOULD NOT LIKE YOUR FACE IF YOUR MOTHER DID NOT LIKE IT
YOU WOULD NOT LINGER ON EPITHETS FOR EYES OR METAPHORS FOR MOUTHS
IF YOUR FACE LOOKED LIKE BURGER MEAT
YOU WOULDN’T SMILE SO HARD IF IT FELT LIKE YOUR CHEEKS WERE THE SUNRISE
SPLITTING YOUR FACE JUST WIDE ENOUGH
SO YOU COULD TASTE THE WET LIGHT
EVERYTIME YOU SMILE, YOUR FACE IS ONE OPEN WOUND
SO YOU DON’T SMILE
SMILING HURTS, YOU NEVER SMILE
YOUR FACE IS A SCAB YOU CAN’T STOP PICKING OPEN
JUST TO SEE THE LIGHT YOUR MOTHER CAN’T SEE
BUT I WANT HER TO SEE EVERYTHING
THE POSIES IN YOUR SKIN, THE SKIN ON YOUR TEETH
EVERYONE ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT HOW LOVELY YOU ARE
I ALWAYS HEAR ABOUT HOW LOVELY YOU ARE
SHOW HER YOUR STREET STOMPED SMILE, EVEN IF SHE CAN’T SWALLOW IT
WASN’T IT HER WHO TAUGHT YOU
TO LOVE YOUR OWN TORN FLESH?
WASN’T IT HER WHO STITCHED UP THE UGLY
SO SHE COULD PLANT KISSES ON SOIL
SMOOTH ENOUGH
FOR BEAUTY TO GROW?
THIS IS YOUR CHILD, YOUR HUSBAND, YOUR FAMILY
YOUR LEGACY, WRITTEN ACROSS YOUR FOREHEAD
LIKE A BILLBOARD FOR AN EXPENSIVE WATCH
NO ONE WILL EVER BUY
WHO WOULD
WHEN THE EARTH FIRST SPLIT OPEN, IT BLED YOU OUT
IT CRIED, BECAUSE NO ONE EVER TOLD IT THAT TEARS RUIN A COMPLEXION
EVERY ORIGIN STORY STARTS WITH PAIN AND ENDS IN DISAPPOINTMENT
I WAS TAUGHT EARLY THAT PAIN IS LOVE
JUST ANOTHER VERSION OF THE SAME STORY: A MORNING, A MISTAKE, A MAMA
YOU WOULD NOT LIKE YOUR FACE IF YOU COULD NOT LOVE YOUR PAIN,
IF NO ONE EVER CUT YOU OPEN, JUST TO SEE THE VIEW
YOU COULD NOT LIKE YOUR FACE IF YOU’VE NEVER SLICED IT YOURSELF
AND STOOD WATCHING THE DAYLIGHT POUR OUT OF YOU
