The Worst Part
The worst part
of taking off the nail polish
after a night out
or a weekend
or a vacation as myself
is not knowing
when I’ll get to be her again.
The thing I want more than
pierced ears
or dyed red hair
or maybe even breasts
is to have beautiful
polish on my fingernails
24/7.
A mani-pedi was
one of my first moments
of deep gender euphoria.
And, like an addict,
I’ve been chasing that high ever since.
For me, it never diminishes
until I have to get out
the acetone and cotton
and hide her beauty
again
until some unknown time.