THE FOLLOWING POEM WAS SELECTED IN WINGWORD POETRY PRIZE 2023 LONGLIST.

Mostly

seeing and not seeing her

is the same.

This is the crossroad

you might take

a second to pass

if there were not a million people

doing the same

just then.

Before you

her existence lies bare

for you

she barely exists

except

when she stretches her hand

right at you

without expression.

She can make you writhe

if you were to look at her

for a second more.

But you choose

not seeing her–

yet again.

So she must scratch

that hand wresting on your knee

and leave

without expression–

so you'll know

forever

she exists.