Rachel Alarcio πŸ”ˆ

Miss Mermaid, Ms. Mermaid

Honey, it’s easy to latch onto the golden boy
when all you’ve seen is pristine,
polished marble Davids, Diavals, Torvalds
all torturously out of reach,
perched: atop a peak. It’s easy to get caught,
trapped, all Amy Adams-eque Enchanted.
Enamoured with l’amour. Arms draped in furs,
peacock feathers for an angler.

Movies and music videos have you caught,
in the Tangled web; fishing for bouquets
from Frozen strangers. Electric, magnetic,
kinetic sand slips through digits. Quick,
as a twist: of toad tongue.

How badly you want his. To reel
you in, save you from stormy seas, seize
control. Bottle your nonexistent soul.
Chop your fin, lickity-split.
Put you out of your three-century ennui.

Dragonfly wings float on a film of blood.
Pretty princess can’t scream
murder. Say?
Well I did say: I’m no Naiad.
I’m a witch. I cauterize wounds
with truth serum.

From his angle, you are a speck.
Crumb of bread. Marked.
To be devoured.
Down to your porous marrow.

Dearie, tell me: Who is the fisher?
Who is the fish? Other than appearance,
what is
in a catch?

Author Reading

About the Author

Filipino-American poet Rachel Alarcio’s writing and photography have been featured or are forthcoming in two award-winning WriteGirl anthologies, Exposition Review, at LAX’s Terminal 7-8, and elsewhere. Their prose has also been recognized at the national level by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. She is currently working towards her B.A. in English from Kalamazoo College. Find them @rachelalarcio on Twitter and @raechillout on Instagram.