Coming Out

child; you’ve bathed in the wrong place
again. unlearned all of your mother’s prayers.
what a beautiful place you set on fire—child;

called yourself a faggot. a naked
lover. a shrew. and you wonder why no man
could ever tame you? look,
at what obnoxious flame you’ve
become. look, at what took you by the wrist
and murdered your father’s mouth. we brought you
to be baptized and you stained everything white
with your blood. castrated yourself. called it

coming out,

called it queer. child,
who did not ask permission to leave the table; or
to come back inside; or to eat the forbidden fruit
who swallowed soap bars for speaking
out of turn. who did not learn her lesson.
ate a peanut butter sandwich and then
asked for more.

child of better days. of the swinging branch.
of tight collar and crooked nose. of the windowless
birthday party no one came to. child;
who grew up too long ago. who
vowed to be untouched and fruitless. who broke
her mother’s last good
heart. who threw up a garden
and was called too sick to go out.
who threw up a garden and was left at home
to clean up the evil mess.

By Spencer Wollan

Biography:

spencer wollan is a 17 year old who resides deep in southern california. spencer has an insatiable love for creating and sharing art, and has been published before in GERM Magazine and Words Dance.