Karyna McGlynn: Prereq
Can’t tell you why but I’m required to
love each of the men in this room …
—she caught her breath like she was going
to slip "you slu …!" but pulled the wings off
instead turned inward / a blanched peach (the way women do)
in her batik print dress
the long-legged ermine of patience (no, tact)
got up from the table, excused itself
I put this bonbon in my mouth / think it’s full of crude
What I wanted to say is wearing sexier pants / moving away from me
like a black Madonna, not my heritage
I checked under the plucked typewriter key / each man’s jewel
—she had a look like, "hel-lo, I’m here … ?"
I’m sorry, I said (rapping my knuckle against a testicle)
I’m trying to find where my will resides