It’s hard to believe not everyone
is a killer.
This carrot shank
must not exit the kitchen.
My heart hums fast purple
all day like an animated eggplant.
The knife he uses knows nothing
about broccoli and bamboo stir-fries.
Salt mixes into my eyes,
I’m seasoned.
My chicken-like consistency
baffles the chef.
Breakfast nests in my hands,
a content bird.
He doesn’t care for burnt
toast and raw eggs.
There’s never a rolling pin around
when I feel aggressive.
The sharpest knife is as useless
as a firm stalk of celery.
I set flame to recipes
with tomatoes, wipe the table,
blow off my second bowl
of soup.
I taste better than ever.
–
Sarah Lilius is the author of five chapbooks including GIRL (dancing girl press, 2017) and Traffic Girl (Ghost City Press, 2020). Some of her publication credits include Fourteen Hills and Boulevard, with work forthcoming in The Massachusetts Review.