Did he believe you were a bloom? Not rashed
abashed, adolescent doomed, entombed up-
stairs, crimson cheeked, viewed through cylinder glass
pistil pink — peeked pointillism amok
by candlelight, to pluck or pollinate,
demonic birthright. Did he see buried
thorns, subcutaneous, to liberate
like horns — erupting, furious, bleeds
the season mortality recedes? Did
he see himself in you, his powdered lip
a golden hue, amaretto, eyelids
half closed, pollen undertaste of tulip
tuberose? Swallowed demonology
a bedroom above adult gossiping —
a better medicine is blossoming.
–Published 20th March 2019
About Kristin Garth
Kristin Garth is a Pushcart, Best of the Net & Rhysling nominated sonnet stalker. Her poetry has stalked magazines like Glass, Yes, Five:2: One, Former Cactus, Occulum & many more. She has six chapbooks including Shakespeare for Sociopaths (Hedgehog Poetry Press), Pink Plastic House (Maverick Duck Press), Puritan U (Rhythm & Bones Press March 2019) and The Legend of the Were Mer (Thirty West Publishing House March 2019). Her full length, Candy Cigarette, is forthcoming April 2019 (The Hedgehog Poetry Press), and she has a fantasy collaborative full length A Victorian Dollhousing Ceremony forthcoming in June (Rhythm & Bones Lit). Follow her on Twitter: (@lolaandjolie), and her website kristingarth.com