POETRY BY KRISTIN GARTH

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTION OF CHILDHOOD ABUSE / SEXUAL MISCONDUCT AND MENTION OF POTENTIAL ABUSE (IMPLIED), SEXUALITY / SEXUAL ACTS

Your Guilt Glows In Bars Like Plastic Ceiling Stars

Lived through childhood without any physical scars
at least the kind sunshine outlines.  But men
all see them plain inside of any bar,
skin map of zinc sulfide blacklight stars.  When
you sit near strangers in the dark, with the
thin marred arms of an easy mark, they see
their way straight inside, vulnerabilities
you cannot hide behind your prim pretty  
sundress.  They know you honor all requests
in parking lots, alleys, suburban woods.
You speak fluently their faux incest,
a babyface though they know you’re no good.
You pass for innocent on sunny streets — 
and they will punish you for this deceit.

​

Kristin Garth is a Pushcart, Rhysling nominated writer.  She is a Best of the Net 2020 finalist.  Her sonnets have stalked journals like Glass, Yes, Five:2:One, Luna Luna and more. She is the author of 20 books of poetry including Candy Cigarette Womanchild Noir (Hedgehog Poetry Press), Flutter Southern Gothic Fever Dream (TwistiT Press), and Girlarium (Fahmidan Journal).  She is the founder of Pink Plastic House a tiny journal and co-founder of Performance Anxiety, an online poetry reading series. Follow her on Twitter:  (@lolaandjolie) and her website kristingarth.com