FEELING VAMPY, MIGHT DELETE LATER

as damaged as it is
memory is still recognizable
          here
in an adolescent’s room where windows
are darkened by black pillowcases
          beige carpet
splotched with black nail polish
          the eyes of a killer
hung in nooses of scotch tape

a memory confined
          to a rotted coffin
                    until a bruising switch from childhood is taken
and whittled down to a stake

and there
          a freak-girl
is resurrected from an emo’s past
          remembrance bestowing
the long-dead 9-to-5er
          with eternal life
an existence marked by painting tomorrow black

yield to an emo’s cries
a wickedness so easily met with submission
a shameless caress in darkness
throbbing and tangling in the
                              hair dye isle

let loose the fantasies of the vampire mansion
          candelabrum dripping in ancient wax
bats lurking in the grim hallways
          maggots suckling on the hidden softness of yesterday

freedom is but a nipple-hardening breeze
          appearing in Hot Topic’s finest
asking if to abstain from its will
                    is the wrong question
for terror no longer wilts in the hand
                              of the resurrected

the fangs and dental glue emerge
          from a very practical handbag
splooging mistakenly on a work blouse

acrylic nails in the candy jar
preying on passersby
          a gluttonous expression
a decade’s hunger dribbles down a chin
          sucking the blood of an unassuming pinprick

time is but a putrid stain
on a child’s fantasy of becoming a

vampire

---

Hannah Burns, 23, Florida - USA ✯ IG: @hannahreadslit

“Hannah Burns (she/her) is a 23-year-old queer artist and writer from Florida, US. She lives with her partner and their two cats, Cheese and Toast. She is currently pursuing her Master's in English after receiving her B.A. in English: Writing. You can find Hannah's other work and more information about what she's reading at @hannahreadslit on Instagram. Her work has been featured or is forthcoming in Emerald Coast Review, Screen Door Review, and StreetLit.”