And my worst dream all of my teeth fall
out. I awake like a fire choking on air
and teeth are the hardest substance in
the human body. Suddenly I am the boy
defined by what he has lost.
I awake as a
fire choking on air and the mother
sharpens my name with her tongue. Winnows it
down to faggot suddenly I am the boy
defined by what is given to him what is
a dream if not the mind pulling ribbons
from my throat the mother sharpens my
skin with faggot, winnows me down to
Leviticus the uncle says one gay nephew
is flooded enough. What are teeth if not
the telling of which parts of you most
easily softened when sweet. To be queer
and black is to walk out of a closet
into a casket. My queer since my black
has flooded enough the mother says
confession this communion drink the
blood says to be straight to be calm to
pray to kneel eager with a ready mouth
before God and what is left to do but
pluck the bones from my face.