Vulnerable is selfishness severed from greed,
pure frailty, pure
need for anyone’s touch or finger-
brush, anyone’s milky-
synthetic feeding—Vulnerable
plants itself in the ground and squalls new breeds of desire:
pouting iris’ hung with orange seed—
Vulnerable is in heat,
prepared to meet the worst of ends
for a pitiful means.
Vulnerable gleans
mouth gaping to the sky
petals rusty-yellow to green, Vulnerable
trembles at the catch of the shining beak, as if keening towards
one final chance to be seen. Vulnerable
is not so Naïve, does not actually believe in its own survival
but has no bite, no limbs to fight
much less breath to agree
Yes, this is how I want to end
this prolonged shrivel
this top-heavy crystal bath
your used-up masterpiece.
As part of a month-long event co-sponsored by the Smith College Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, “30 Poems in November” includes student-penned poems for the purpose of raising money (and awareness) about The Center For New Americans. This literacy center provide immigrants (as well as refugees) with the resources needed for them to learn how to read in English.