My scars have no brakes.
My scars carve me round.
I want you, like I wanted black rims
and silver spokes, yellow mustard on the tongue
and the blue vinyl seat of things I can’t name.
I want you like I once dreaded dark shadows,
the depths of bushes where we thought
the swamp monster stayed all night.
I suppose I want the monster too.
**
I want you, like a banyan grows
around a host tree, a green memory,
and then as the host dies inside
winds tree fingers in a spiral of leathery leaves,
holding the center space hollow.
I am ready to touch the lines of your face.
I am ready as a bicycle
to be stolen.
Betsy Aoki is author of Breakpoint (Tebot Bach, 2022). She lives in Seattle, Washington. See betsyaoki.com.
The author grants permission.
Betsy Aoki’s latest book is Breakpoint (Tebot Bach, 2022). Visit with her and her work at the Miami Book Fair 2022 on 11/20, at 3:30 pm in Room 6100. Cover art by: Yejin Park, THIS WAY UP.
Welcome to SWWIM Every Day’s preview coverage of Miami Book Fair (MBF) 2021! The poets whose work you’ll be reading every weekday from October 25 through November 12 are just a few of the many authors from around the world participating in this year’s MBF, the nation’s largest gathering of writers and readers of all ages. They all look forward to sharing their work, thoughts, and ideas both in person and online. Between November 14 and November 21, new poet conversations and readings will be launched and available for free on miamibookfaironline.com (in addition to other content). For more information, visit the website and follow MBF on Instagram and Twitter at @miamibookfair and use the hashtag #miamibookfair2021.