Open Throat

by Henry Hoke

my father gave me a name I won’t repeat

I want to devour their sound I have so much language in my brain and nowhere to put it

I realize she’s giving me a name heckit I’ll take it I can’t tell her my real one

I feel more like a person than ever because I’m starting to hate myself

we meet for the first time hello little slaughter this is what a goddess looks like