Nadine Spalter
There’s a Blackbird
in my chest cavity.
It screeches at me
to let it out
flapping wildly
at my insolence.
If I let it out
it will bang into walls
and smash into windows
leaving tables upturned
and piles of panicked
shit all over my stuff.
I will never get it out
of my house. It will build
a nest out of my fallen
hair and clipped toenails.
It will take strands of clothing
and electric cables.
Soon it will take over my remote.
I will be powerless.
Sometimes when I open
my mouth wide enough
I can see it’s black
head crowning.