after Oliver Baez Bendorf’s “Call Her Vincent”
| sore from sleeping too much | or not enough |
| stretching to be limber | or pulling a muscle while fucking |
| breath slows when dreaming | or sinking into a flashback |
| groceries for self care | or wasted money |
| bike rides are mood enhancement | are dying in the road |
| days off are seduction | or feeling inadequate |
| family boundaries are growth | or mounting guilt and avoidance |
| internet research & connection | or porn, shame & FOMO |
“sounds / the same whether born of ecstasy or darkness”
only the double-edged sword of the passage of time will tell
Oliver Baez Bendorf is a queer and trans poet, cartoonist, teacher, and librarian. He is the author of The Spectral Wilderness (Kent State University Press, 2015) and co-founder of the Mount Pleasant Poetry Project in DC.
Tanya Paperny is a writer, editor, and literary translator living in DC. The child of Soviet Jewish refugees, her poetry and nonfiction deal with the aftermath of atrocity. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Washington City Paper, The Literary Review, Vice, and Pacific Standard.