Silverlake

stephanie athena valente

 

what is the difference between knowing & not knowing?

i try to love, i love something like me,

so tightly, wound deep inside

i prefer older men who wrap me up

in their leather jackets, unzip the sleeves to the wrists

i palm their lips like simple cigarettes

they placed my voice in a clasped shell

rub my silk sleeved dress

call me aphrodite after hours

velvet & gin & my tiny laughter

masquerading in cups

i hide war crowns and eagles by the door

shed the iron cuffs, but let them trace the skin

it would be rude to wear shoes inside this house.

 

 

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Stephanie Athena Valente lives in Brooklyn, NY. Her published works include Hotel Ghost, waiting for the end of the world, and Little Fang (Bottlecap Press, 2015-2019). She has work included in Reality Hands, Maudlin House, and Cosmonauts Avenue. She is the associate editor at Yes, Poetry. Sometimes, she feels human. stephanievalente.com