Naked Fruit

by Madalyn Whitaker
Embroidery by Anna Nelson

Embroidery by Anna Nelson

pulled out my teeth 
one by one, by one, by one 
by seven weeks lying 
in a hollowed out bed 
running my tongue over my 
teeth over my gums 
over my wounds in my chest 
that i built myself leaving 
holes where i knocked the bones 
down, digging through the rubble 
counting coins in my palms 
saving up enough to place 
my hands on something stable 
slide them up the bark, up the trunk 
up to the fruit in the trees 
my legs wrapped around the branches 
picking the fruit at the stem 
to sink my teeth 
into flesh, the sticky juice 
sliding down my chin 
to rest where my collar bones meet 

i look down so i can watch you 
make your way up 
just to get a taste of me 

Embroidery by Anna Nelson