Open Throat

by Henry Hoke

There is no creature whose inward being is so strong that it is not greatly determined by what lies outside it.

The perfect epigraph for this book

my mother was very kind her bloodthirst was insatiable

my mother taught me to hunt but my father taught me to be hunted

I look down and there are no paws any sec I could step off a cliff I think I’ve always felt this way the smoke makes it clear

they stand over the bones I left and the woman says to the bones poor kiki I’m sorry kiki they shouldn’t have named you

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