KARMA, in PRONOUNS by Marzena Czarnecka

The insides of my thighs are punctured
with little round bruises, each the size
of a puckered mouth. “Who are those
from,” they ask, touching them tenderly
then pressing hard, to hurt, in jealousy,
anger.

“They’re from practicing the Crow,” is
the truth but as I speak it, they
already see another lover between
my thighs and jab a thumb into the
perfect circle of my elbow’s imprint,
to punish.

I would bite the transgressing hand,
but why? Instead I move into the
thumb, meet their eyes, and watch
the demon consume them, transform him
into her, an insecure girl who cannot bear
to share.

A few months later, I will become her,
feeling what she feels, tears welling
up in my eyes when I find a mark
on your body I did not make, ashamed
of the intensity of my possessiveness,
helpless.

❤

Marzena Czarnecka really hates yoga, and wishes English had either more or fewer pronouns. She talks in pictures on Instagram as @NothingByTheBook and sends the world postcards from Cuba and her kitchen via NothingByTheBook.com.

❤

text © Marzena Czarnecka 2017

photography ©  Jennifer Weihmann

used with permission; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

ABOUT THE PROJECT:

SCREW CHOCOLATE: 14 Queer Valentines To Help You Survive February 14 is a collaborative project by YYC Queer Writers. We get together intermittently to… write. Also, laud our lovers. Commiserate about our exes. Read each other what we wrote. Explain what we want to write. Try to justify why we aren’t writing it. Go home and write it. Come back. Share it… repeat.

TABLE OF CONTENTS  VALENTINES

Valentine 1: Mountains & Moments by T

Valentine 2:Karma, in Pronouns by Marzena Czarnecka

Valentine 3: The Long Commute by L. Sara Bysterveld

Valentine 4: It Happens Like This by Dana Stanley

Valentine 5: Try by M. Jane Colette

Valentine 6: Sunrise by Brooke Nicholas

Valentine 7: Want by T

Valentine 8: Get The Fuck Up & Love by Dallas Barnes

Valentine 9: Elizabeth by Nola Sarina

Valentine 10: Instructions by PW Zelli

Valentine 11: Unmentionables by Alyssa Linn Palmer

Valentine 12: The Shy Girl’s Guide to Sexting by M. Jane Colette

Valentine 13: Delivery by Elisa Kae

Valentine 14: Alter Ego In A Red Tie by Lotis Cervantes