I rebelled against cotillion
its white lace white gloves white tablecloths
little white lies big white faces

its militaristic utensil placement
an insertion of blade in tines
has devastating etiquette implications

but a lady must always connect her legs
and wait for a boy to
ask her to dance

(I didn’t want to
wait
I wanted to
dance)

those patent leather mary janes gave me
blisters I blossomed barefoot
in rain I was the woods

the crunch of the fallen beneath my feet
the crust of the earth beneath my nails
the crest of the cardinal above my crown

my church
I worshiped
dirty

this tiny tough thing
in armadillo armor
calloused pilgrim

a sailor’s tongue; a siren’s song
a ship waking
swear words

language foul and interesting
my chorus vulgar
a profane refrain

Fornication Under
Consent of the King
if you will

seining men to drink me
tall under the table
mermaid off the port bow

they forget they are guests
on my vessel man
overboard at my pleasure

I am two ships passing
one splits the horizon;
the other becomes it.