"PUNICA GRANATUM" by G.L. Maverick

only the finest of china for this trauma

so i grab the best of my mother’s bowls

wash it twice with wine & honey

before chipping teeth on its edge

i draw water for the bloodbath

and plunge in the fruit of my under-ribs

with fingertips too water-plump

too wrinkled to remember their prints

because i put bars around this heart

dreamed them into citrus-fiber

ate my own self out & broke back in

only to be cold with love

purpled with bruising wounds

soaked through with wasted potential

G.L. Maverick (she/they) is a being, just like you, and would like for you to remember that your days are numbered... but there's no sense in counting down. Maverick is a poet and aspiring novelist who lives with her family in Virginia (US). While more of their work can be found in Apricity Press's 7th Issue & Corporeal Lit Mag's 2nd Volume, chances are you'll find Maverick sitting in a tree or on a rooftop, pretending she doesn't exist. Feel free to monitor their nonsensical musings on Twitter @gracenleemav.