ELECTION DAY
i woke up, went to work,
& played barista
walked home with
hands in pockets,
crumpled ones
ran up the stairs
to get high
before leaving
at the pizza joint, i listened
as an old guy explained to me
how we could fuck
without his wife
finding out
i kept eye contact
& practiced
deceiving men,
took my $150,
some weed,
& walked out the door
at the piercing studio,
i learned i have a
deviated septum
i got it pierced anyway
& i wasn’t even surprised
i went to a boy’s house
who used to be in love with me
i let him fuck me on my period
& he came too fast
whole foods was closing
& everything seemed bright
i spent hardly any money
& didn’t really eat
at home, i felt like i was
falling in love so i
smoked weed with my roommates
& lost never have i ever
& to think
that this is the last day
any of us
could feel safe
ELECTION DAY
never underestimate
anyone with money
never overestimate
the guy you fucked last night
because he will probably
explain to you
his interpretation
of your fear
EVERYONE AT THE MARATHON WORE BLUE
i spent seven dollars to feel slightly different
and it hardly worked
lately i’ve been guilting myself into everything
i have a rash on my neck with no source
it’s like the plague again,
each second i spend with you
i feel a little worried
your right eye is inflamed and closing down
everything is a fast blur in a cold city
i keep wearing crop tops in november’s chill
my friend came over and we became friends
joked high, is peanut butter see-thru
i have always been bad at political action
and locking doors
i told my roommate why i don’t go to the rallies
i am afraid, i tell them, that i’ll get shot
they tell me that this is irrational, i tell them what i think
when i hear airplanes overhead
i’m sorry but i have heard that there is tear gas
in portland, i’ve heard that there is a roommate there who lifts a lot of weights
it hasn’t really mattered who the men are,
when i see them now, i think “you’ve won”
