CHRYSALIS ❋ Jennifer MacBain-Stephens

bloody mandibles
black spider follicles

hot iron away placid
third torso sex parts

the triangles, ovals
and smarty pants winged bits

A quiet carp floats into frame
take a picture
it’ll last longer

Sea life tells me fuck off
I don’t belong here

my woman chrysalis
hardens then explodes all over

the DNA covered hotel bedspread
a second rate calamity gift horse

I stretch my bug legs. Who knows
how many digits I have?

How many lives did I ruin
to get it right? I rub

the front two sections together
fire up my combustion ticket

find a fresh green leaf
massacre it in pixelated time

the hunt is on: I will be
prey or mounted on cork
whichever comes first

I’ve got two weeks, tops,
to figure it out.