[Remarkable the litter of birds]

Remarkable the litter of birds cleared from the city every morning

The ones who flew toward the sky in the reflection of the glass

Dead or stunned I often think given the chance I wouldn't live my life over

I have just this one heart okay I was burned I was gaslit nearly to ash on the first try

From the start I was told I was a powerful speaker I was told when & how I should speak

It's true I made a feast of my own misery I invited everyone the whole gang

We ate only flowers it was my misery after all I was 29

I'd had a narrow escape from becoming Julian of Norwich

Finally I felt safe enough to ask Katie

Is it antifeminist to starve myself over a boy?

Her response was kind

What if we revise the focus of that question

Soon we were eating peonies & lilacs with bees inside

All these marriages had come out to watch me deliver my speech

I filled my mouth with bees I tried to speak through the bees

Everyone if we're going to talk about love please we have to talk about violence

I was stung my tongue swelled I was spitting crushed bees

A special crew came to sweep them up before anyone could see