“Hunger Strike”
by Ashley Roach-Freiman
What kind of violator are you?
The world is a ridiculously human place
that wounds forever.
I want to be hungry ‘til I die.
Can you find me a good kisser?
Can you help me with this socket wrench?
I want to be hungry forever.
We will be hoisted into infinity
by a tiny tornado spout.
I am selfish and beautiful
and I should stop running around.
No, none of this will work.
Sing, sing, sing to me and soothe my aching, palpating heart.
“Say anything but”
by Ashley Roach
god tho it’s hot out and
will be forever so heavy
so doldrum so
dumb the men i carry
all the men i wool around
even now i doubt
the cicadas static spit
cadence
why didn’t i name them
the green so heavy so flat
so bright (his
name) sharp aim did
i (did i)
repeat the action in
violation
i did ( i did)
a story made from music
from memory
in the body the
memory-made summer
humid and dank (i can’t)
Ashley Roach-Frieman

Ashley Roach-Freiman is a librarian and poet with work appearing or forthcoming in Bone Bouquet, THRUSH Poetry Journal, The Literary Review, Ghost Proposal, and Nightjar Review. A chapbook, Bright Along the Body, is available from dancing girl press. She is currently working on a full-length collection. Find out more at ashleyroachfreiman.com.
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