​polaroid

picture you puking 

in the bathroom 

at two boots pizzeria

on avenue b.

a come to jesus moment 

in the mirror

like a character in a movie 

having an epiphany,

is this all there is?  

all this 

over a man 

who pickaxed your heart

with an icicle. 

tongue all maraschino,

with the taste 

of fresh blood. 

tightropes look so easy to walk 

when you’re not the one in midair. 

you didn’t hear it from me, 

but his affliction was genetic.

daddy did his mama 

same way he did you.

rupaul says, you gotta love yourself, 

but did not offer any actionable steps. 

so you wait 

for the almighty 

to helicopter into this 

humorless mess. 

forgive those who trespass 

against us.

two hundred seventy six 

moons later, 

we’ll laugh 

like proper adults 

with fully formed amygdalas 

wearing orthotic insoles

and sensible shoes.

Felice Belle’s debut collection 'Viscera' (Etruscan Press, 2023) is quirky, accessible, pop-culture obsessed poetry for fans of 90 Day Fiancé and Ntozake Shange. As a poet and playwright, she has performed at the Apollo Theater, Joe’s Pub, TEDWomen, and TEDCity2.0. Felice is a lecturer in the low-residency MFA program at St. Francis College and Artists Network Director for the global nonprofit Narrative 4. 

She lives in Brooklyn, NY and spends her free time solving fictional crimes.

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