Stabbing at Poetry

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adam withheld the apple when he heard my stomach growl


fear is the basis for
all human emotion,
which is why thao says she
has never seen romance;
which is why dr. stewart asks
how have you
never been in love;
which is why i say
i am not enough afraid.

i have
two feet
and they
are enough.

if i had
four would
we be
a dog dizzying ourself
with our own tail?

i have
two arms
and they
are enough.

if i had
more, would our
branches hang and tangle,
trip passersby?

fear grounds men
in the kingdom.
men who give me
blue pills for voices
red pills for visions
white pills to get
out of bed today.
men who
walked me to
the garden gate
with prayers of
be not afraid
as they
locked the
world behind me.
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