Poetry Night Feature: Fatimah Asghar

11/7/2016

Can't wait for Poetry Night? Get your eyeballs on this poem by Fatimah Asghar, one of the ~featured poets~ of PNAA. Like what you see? Reserve PNAA tickets with eyelev21@aol.com, and don't forget to pick up your copy of Gun Unfired Since Deer Season, featuring poems from Fatimah Asghar, José Olivarez, and Chace "Mic Write" Morris. See more of Fatimah Asghar at fatimahasghar.com/

Stank Face

Each morning I stitch a scowl
to my smile. Let my eyes sass
every person standing between me
& the bus stop. My eyelashes
icy. Call it survival. Call it eyeliner
so crisp it could kill a bitch.

You look prettier when you smile
says the traffic guard & I cut out
his tongue. It wags like a pet snail
slimy in my palm. My eyes laser
each crooked smile that comes
my way. I take all their lips
and mount them to my wall.

Ay can I get your number?
& the air sucked through my teeth
cuts the windshields open, dead day
of summer. Don’t fuck with me, bitch.
I’m queen of the dignified clap back
got thesauruses on my throne.

Got dead bodies in my closet.
cause of death? Thirst. Cause of death?
Frostbite, burn, too hot & too cold.

I mist when the world droughts.
& no, I’m not sharing.

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