Teething

By Samyukta Raghavan

All my teeth are milk.

I am tethered to this age,

Like letting go will make

my mouth rot.

I brush it till my gums bleed.

I wash my body till I see bone.

I am clean, I am clean, I am clean.

No baptism can save mad children,

But I will drown in my body, I will get lost in the city.

I will swear I can find my way back home alone.

There is a splinter in my sole I can’t get out.

I walk around barefoot, I am invincible until I bleed.

I don’t have a big enough bandage, ego still intact.

I am human till I have to

Take the blame.

I buy the knife and then

Slice my words in half.

There is a God on that glass,

I tell you he looks a lot like you.

That means you must forgive,

My angry body; all my stink, all my rot.

I tell it be louder be louder they can’t hear!

Rebellion is nothing

When you can’t pick a side.

I am on the right.

There are mirrors on every wall

You are always watching from every corner.

What is a deity if he cannot fall asleep?

What is he doing

If he’s barely paying me attention?

Does he have faith or is he also pretending? does he have anything.

I am a believer so long as

You are sitting next to me.

I am a child, I will forget about you

When I can’t hear you speak.

I wish I was more devout,

I wish I cared at all.

Tonight I will go to sleep

And I will dream of a big red balloon.

There will be dragonflies,

I will wake up and know them by name.

I will wake up

And no longer be teething.

By Samyukta Raghavan