NATHAN WADE CARTER

TALLY

I make a brick

& the teething happens again

all that we go through

that we’ve gone through before

this repeated lesson

my tipped over heaven

open now

     to the elements

     I have not flinched

I am in trouble

I am baked in an oven that runs hot

     & you will not see it

the mushrooms will not grow without a burn

I have taken my face

     & put it in the shipyard water

and have we not earned a mark

on a wall

     chalk

the weight

     of an accent

getting further from truly

being able to feel

a fur to skin situation

but we live longer than them

& they unzip the costume

a wrinkle

     on the floor

Nathan Wade Carter (he/him) is a queer, grey-a, non-binary poet, musician, and artist living in Portland, Oregon. His chapbook is ROYGBIV (Ursus Americanus Press 2017). His poetry can be found in Hobart, Fugue, Gramma Poetry, Poor Claudia, The Fem, and others. He is the editor and founder of SUSAN / The Journal. He writes and performs songs under the name Purrbot. He co-facilitates the generative writing salon Creation Island with Zulema Renee Summerfield. Find him online at nathanwadecarter.com.