Loud grin
Silent laugh
Shedding
Unfurling wings
They fall, a heap at my feet
Stepping over them, right foot brushes against a sock, left toe feathers a burden
Curiosity boiling in my stomach
Steam distorting my sight
Anything gushing from between my teeth
My mouth to move, whether air, or passion, or mouth
My fingers
Me
Rolling hips, heavy breath
Mine, whenever
Not now, not yet
Just mouths, just hands
They always say that there is a lightness
But it is more like a guttural shriek
Of joy, of being able to open your mouth and scream
To feel the ground beneath your feet and not be floating just above
The hot coals, the egg shells, all the clichés of hot and soft and delicate
Because I’m not delicate
anymore
My teeth are no longer an army
Thoughts no longer a trigger
Naked I Stand
Here I Am
Corsetless
Be careful when you return, slithering snakes back around your throat, in your throat
A muzzle, a blanket of kind treachery and guilt-tripping care
I trip over my clothes to dress, pulling strings to tie my coffin
Remember how it feels
Soon, you can return
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Woroni, Woroni Radio and Woroni TV are created, edited, published, printed and distributed. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. We acknowledge that the name Woroni was taken from the Wadi Wadi Nation without permission, and we are striving to do better for future reconciliation.