EVER SINCE THE BEGINNING
she had a craving for their laughter
since the first performance for her mom
jokes formed by a mouth never open
and waiting for the right words to come
one day she’d chip her incisor teeth
chewing words like smile and prettier
and counting spare change left on the bar
licking the copper off her thumbs
shed paint her eyelids, prepare for war
drinking sewing kits, sex, and ink pens
carry memory, her cat scarred cheek
how bleeding felt before she’d gone numb
little girl with skin not yet condemned
little girl before the world had her