Medusa by Sunshine Offerman

i want these hot truths to slither

out of my mouth, with

scales that shine like suns,

and i want people to clamber

and scramble to grab hold of them

and stuff them in their pockets.

i want to look up to a sea of myself,

gripping my snake truths like offerings,

grasping to contain them while they

slide into their clumsy souls.

and i want to smile and weep

and watch the sea smile

and weep as tears fill their gaping

and truth-speaking mouths.