Marie Marionette

Megan DeBussey

A petulant girl covered in

Ornamentation.

Shy girl,

Shy girl,

You’re exposed.

The torso he cut in half with one clean thrust,

The stroke so swift yet nonetheless painful.

Shy girl,

Shy girl,

Sewn back together,

Shoddy stitch,

Shoddy stitch,

How they ooze and pop,

She takes one step toward—

Jerk

Jerk—

(“Uneasy,

Aren’t you sweetie?

Gasp! Don’t fall!”)

Shy girl,

Shy girl,

(“Clasp your hands beneath your chin

And smile your cracked smile of stitches

From ear to ear.

Do it. Do it.”)

She stretches out

Pale, delicate

Doily hands—

Strangling hands—

And gently places them around my neck.

Shy girl,

Shy girl,

(“Tsk, tsk, tsk.

You forgot to say excuse me.”)

Shy girl,

Shy girl,

(“You forgot to introduce yourself”)—

BLACKNESSBLACKNESSBLACKNESS

BLACKNESSBLACKNESSBLACKNESS

BLACKNESS