Join The Dillydoun Review in celebrating National Poetry Month with

A Poem by Destiny Bookman

last time I let the sun kiss my skin I was stung
smooth quick and aggressively
my flesh shrieked; acidic Venom spread across my face
the Venom boiled away at the arrival of anger and humiliation
to be stung in private where only walls and dust balls could observe was purgatory
to be stung in public where eyes looked past you, but sympathetically glared at your back was hell

I was stung the last time I let the sun kiss my skin
hot pins and needles itched my cheek, the sun blurred away
anaphylaxis settled in me
my stomach churned restlessly; ears rung into oblivion
underlying rage burned in my biceps down to the very tip of my fingers
twitching with an eagerness I was orchestrated to suppress to avoid being stung again

I stung back for the first time —

my stinger seemed to be much better equipped for retaliation
disastrous cold had returned, low gray clouds buried the defeated yellow jacket
healing skin and revived senses rejoiced
hibernating through the new cold, I prepared for the return of the warm,
prepared with not embarrassment for myself, but with excitement for the sun
I had been stung by a yellow jacket for the last time, I can let the sun kiss my skin

Destiny Bookman is a sophomore college student from Philadelphia. She wants to be a child therapist because children are great and deserve support. Her primary interests are writing, pretty rocks, underrated animated shows, and listening to years old albums she should have listened to sooner. Destiny writes a little of everything. She hates bugs but, when needed, uses them as inspiration to escape writer’s block.