I roll your indecency on my tongue.
Like a wad of gum.
Something to chew on,
And then spit out.
But the aftertaste,
Fresh and stinging as it may be—
Purifies the words that return.
I speak, you’ll cower.
And the thing between my teeth
Now sits in the bottom a trash can—
(I would love to stomp on it properly, but we don’t condone loitering around here).
Nothing but words,
Withering, drying out in dark decay.
And you put so much effort into that—
Isn’t that cute?
To see all your hard,
Miserable work
Banished,
Discarded to garbage.
Like calls to like, I suppose.
Kristen Bales is a writer, poet, and musician residing in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her words have been featured in Allegory Ridge’s Anthology, “Aurora”, Volumes Two and Three, The Silent World in Her Vase, and Beyond Words International Literary Magazine. You can follow her bookish musings at @kristenbalesbooks or browse the collection of recent musings at kristenbales.com.