The magnolia raises her petals,
Embraced by the Carolina sun.
Skins soaks in its rays, darkens by the afternoon
Like honey tempting the bear’s tongue.
I sit on the porch and watch the neighbor’s car carry
A patriotic flag. He stares at me, then to his wife.
I wave, conscious of my short hair, the binder beneath
My white cotton shirt, my loose jeans.
I dream of an inflatable pool.
To use my breath, to melt my body into.
At the grocery store, the cashier calls me
“Ma’am.” My ribs rattle on command.
I brew coffee as my mother comes home,
“Have you eaten?” I nod.
Both knowing I never eat when I’m home.
The horn of the train comforts me.
A passerby, in a cicada lullaby.
“Mad girl,” they whisper.
Mary Luna Robledo (they/them) is a Mexican immigrant and recent graduate of Smith College. Their poems have been published in Lesbians are Miracles.
Taylor McGraw is a multidisciplinary artist and writer. Her work is deeply rooted in the psychological concepts of pathology, object relations, and the unconscious. Originally from Missouri, she has found inspiration in relocating frequently, and is currently based in Woodstock, NY. She has worked in the mental health field for most of her adult life and has a master’s degree in psychology. This is her debut publication.