bubblegum black

(after Brenden Dugan’s “Nothing but Flowers)

fog distorted stems
without roots, distilled
essence of bubblegum pressed
behind book page eyelids, like
a carnation in my diary, fastened
with yellowing library tape, mildewed
black seeping on to pages and whispering
“no one loves you, no one will ever
love you”
with a skip jump past glasses edge
sudden wisp of all is good forget me not pink

Dane Lyn (they/them) is a queer, educator, poet, and glitter enthusiast with an MFA from Lindenwood University. Find them in Southern California with their partner, advocating for disabled rights, constructing blanket forts, caring for their menagerie of teens, snakes, lizards, dogs, rabbits, and cats, and ridding their shoes of beach sand. Dane’s work has been or will be featured in Gnashing Teeth, Silver Rose Magazine and Nymph. @punkhippypoet is where you will find them on Instagram and Twitter.