Permanent Ink (Ars Poetica)

by Kerri Vasilakos

Red, purple and black abstract art

Words turn diamonds
in these volcanic bones. I wait
for the eruption. My throat
has been hollow for so long, that my blood
began carving letters in my veins, bruising
voice into my flesh.

My body rebelled
against my fear, took matters
into its own hands, seduced
the bodies of pens, unremorseful. Rampaged
through blue lined cities, wreaked havoc
on white sheets, left them black
and spoken for.

I exhale a lifetime
of silence and fake teeth. I am ink
in the barrel of a gun, eulogizing
the parts of my body I never
got back, restoring
castles for women whose kingdoms
were stolen, breathing life
into the dead, band aid
for wounded hearts. You’ll never
erase me,

and I will bleed
all over
your favorite shirt.

Category: Featured, Poetry, SNHU Creative Writing, SNHU online creative writing, SNHU Student