Alrisha Shea

imitation of crow (Kafka)

each day i revel

in scavengry;

finding revelation in

anything that glistens

& glosses

 

you can have

the intangible or the

tangible you can’t

break the wishbone larger

than its parts

 

chimerism i’ve found

is much the same:

crow eyes & turtleshell

nest on my back

amalgam is the title

that’s been given

 

here i am, patchwork–

or something worse

than counterpane

i’ve never used a found mirror

to reveal epiphany

 

 

[        ] with cello & incubator (Kafka)

my clammy crinkled palms             could flood a city, or an anthill;

either way, i am still shaking,

shell shocked with idleness & anticipation

of sound

[

the only thing that fits perfectly between

my legs is a cello

]

 

sitting in rehearsal like this i adopt

a kind of fetal posture

as if i am being born                                                  not being broken

as if i am already cringing                                          at what my newborn ears

have heard; wrong notes,                                           all of them. wrong fingers,

wrong limbs.

 

i was put in an incubator for a month

after my lungs first attempted speech

 

i was put in speech therapy for years

after my throat attempted literacy

 

and now hands stutter attempting ritual or reach;

water taking lifetimes to leap from faucet to face

 

i stare my figure down

(wrong fingers, wrong limbs)

because (i’ve heard) observation

alters form

and yet,

 

 

 

---

 

Alrisha Shea is a 16-year-old non-binary student. They are a writer who is new to the medium, and who is currently unpublished. They are planning to double-major in Biology and Data Science in undergrad. They spend their spare time avoiding hypothermia and throwing parties they don’t attend.