Illustration by Mimi Mutesa @mimimutesa
when I was a child I went to the grocery store in search of
sustenance
and while I never found any
I did find
food
when I was a teenager, a teacher warned me
with
widened eyes
fisted hands
a bitter heart
he warned me, I was too soft for this world
elaborate, he did not
but I know now
just as I did then
girls that look like me train as toddlers in the art of laying concrete
by the age of seven, we have built
whole castles
surrounding our bodies
surrounding our minds
my teacher — I believe
was concerned because despite arduous training
I never stayed in my castle
I’ve always had
fun
sprinting away from health/safety
I lovingly brought this softness with me
everywhere I went
— grocery stores included
wanting very much to attract
someone, someones
who were soft
like me
instead, though
I found many people living in castles
and all they want
is to live anywhere
but in a castle
hello
please call me health
please call me soft
please call me safe
Beatrice’s work will appear in the upcoming DEATH IN THE MOUTH horror anthology and in upcoming issues of FIYAH Magazine, Fantasy Magazine, and Air and Nothingness Press.