Open Throat

by Henry Hoke

I grab it and make it mine and drag it back to my ditch and dig my teeth into its middle

with my last breath I think the word please let me start over

if you feel alone in the world find someone to worship you

this is my second room it’s so much nicer than my first I don’t belong here either

I stay and enjoy my stillness within all the motion around me

I have no idea what it’s like to be a person and to be confronted with a me

it’s a terrible choice but I’m making it just like a person

I’m letting her go there’s blood all over my body

my mother would be so proud