A daily reading from One Poem Only—a quiet space for a single poem, read aloud.

Inedible

Sera

I wish I could cover

my body in spikes,

become unappetizing,

indigestible.

I poke holes into my image,

pour lighter fluid over it,

flicking the flame on

and burning away

the outline you memorized,

char the version of me

you still think of.

I wish I could transform,

shapeshift

into something you hate.

I chop my hair in

uneven sections,

cut lattice into my face,

unravel the centre of myself.

I bite my fingers raw,

throw my body against concrete

until it's beaten bloody.

carve my tongue

from my throat

so I can't comply.

stab forks into my sight;

force myself back

in control.

I wish I could break

every single one of my bones

so I can slip from these cuffs,

this cage,

contort myself to fit

between the bars.

I know I have the key

but I can't find the lock-

I'm blind.

I need to break myself

out of here.

time is flying

but my wings are broken.

I take a bat to my back,

pepper spray my face,

swallow a grenade

and drink acid.

I wish I could mould myself

into a mushy mess,

become nauseating,

off putting,

tasteless.

I run into traffic,

tangle myself in the tires,

chugging gasoline.

I jump into a pit of spiders,

cover myself in bites and stings,

eat handfuls of bees

until my cheeks swell.

I'll dip myself into a

lake of boiling water,

seeping deep as my

skin bubbles up.

I'll roll in what repels you,

leave with a matching stench,

use jagged stones

to scratch up any

blank space remaining.

I wish I could melt down

into the cracks in the earth,

hide in the soil

from the eyes in the sky.

drag wood against

my arms and legs,

hair turning to splinters.

I shave my eyebrows off

and pick at my lips.

I'll tie my teeth to string,

slam the door,

take pieces of glass

and stick them into my body,

standing with the cactus.

cut out all the cartilage

and tie together my tendons,

spread my blood on bread

and eat that instead.

jump head first

into a volcano,

exfoliate my skin with the heat.

make myself a target-

fire arrow after arrow,

pinning myself down.

take an axe to my toes,

a mace to the chest,

a knife to the back.

I wish I could become

inedible,

insipid,

abhorrent.

I'd do anything

to make you

projectile vomit

at the thought of me.

More from Sera ↓

1. @serawrites03 on Instagram

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Write After: National Poetry Month with One Poem Only

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