EMMA REBHOLZ
ROGUE LEANS IN FOR HER FIRST KISS
and nearly pulls away
with a body count
this aint no spin the bottle, honey
this is a hit and run
but consider his bruise
your blessing
getting the choice
to brand your body weapon
before some idiotic boy
darling,
this is just one way the world wants
to steal every bit of your softness
so please protect that
southern peach in you
you are pink skin
around a solid pit
or maybe a shotgun
either way
there is no cure
for your sharp tongue
you may never get used to the taste
of his memory on the back of your throat
but at least
it’ll be sweet
BRUCE BANNER REMEMBERS
1
the way things fall apart
like subatomic particles
a father’s bottle shatters
and the glass spits back
a mother’s open mouth
like an even slice down
an atom:
silent until
everything
rips apart
2
the fact that abuse
can perpetuate
itself in cycles
the way steel snaps
in a monster’s grip
not unlike the break
in his mother’s neck
3
when the smoke clears
in the aftermath
her body
in every body
her face
in every face
red
and red
and green
and nearly pulls away
with a body count
this aint no spin the bottle, honey
this is a hit and run
but consider his bruise
your blessing
getting the choice
to brand your body weapon
before some idiotic boy
darling,
this is just one way the world wants
to steal every bit of your softness
so please protect that
southern peach in you
you are pink skin
around a solid pit
or maybe a shotgun
either way
there is no cure
for your sharp tongue
you may never get used to the taste
of his memory on the back of your throat
but at least
it’ll be sweet
BRUCE BANNER REMEMBERS
1
the way things fall apart
like subatomic particles
a father’s bottle shatters
and the glass spits back
a mother’s open mouth
like an even slice down
an atom:
silent until
everything
rips apart
2
the fact that abuse
can perpetuate
itself in cycles
the way steel snaps
in a monster’s grip
not unlike the break
in his mother’s neck
3
when the smoke clears
in the aftermath
her body
in every body
her face
in every face
red
and red
and green
Emma Rebholz is either a very small creature living in your pocket or a sophomore Writing, Literature, and Publishing major at Emerson College. Her poetry has been previously published by or is forthcoming from Voicemail Poems, The Emerson Review, The Misanthropy, The Rising Phoenix Review, Souvenir, and The Rain, Party, & Disaster Society. She probably wants to be your friend.
