Eternal Flame by the Bangles

hearing you from the other              room

I supergluemyeyestothewall

and only have to pay for eyelid surgery.

My astigmatism loosely buttoning the street

lamps to this hairy, milksome,

                                night, your

         mouth             whistling through leaves. A sharp

                                jug of shatter splintering over my head. 

Strangers asking what the blindness feels like, 

and feigning misery, I bottle the cooing

to uncork for missing cat posters

near highways. They are growing the skin

grafts in the lab. Outdoors, a new crime 

scene is building and a sympathetic man

describing the body to me, very slowly, 

using small words and long breaths. Wind and 

mud      burying the poor      body’s knees.

There are sirens in their slippery suits heading 

imminently at concerning velocities. If 

I pretend colour 

                   is in my future, will you

    sing         again? 

                   The karaoke machine is five songs out 

from no power.

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Maxine Chen (he/they) studies creative writing in sunburnt Eora (Sydney), Australia. He’s made lots of noise in his life and is looking forward to making a great deal more. Join the chorus @maxineknows on the bird app—they're happy to harmonize.