Virginia Laurie

Virginia Laurie is an English major at Washington and Lee University whose work has been published/is forthcoming in Apricity, LandLocked, Phantom Kangaroo, Cathexis Northwest Press and more. https://virginialaurie.com/

September Litany

I’m half a bottle of pink Moscato in

and my period smells like calamari

and the cat’s eyes are like headlights

on the Juliet balcony

I want wisdom to know things

like how long to reheat leftovers

and when to make confessions

and when to nurse my secrets

like Brandy and Benedictine

I’m a little tipsy Can you tell?

That’s another thing I don’t understand

How people can be mean drunks

When I am drunk all I want is to make

sure my cat does not have anxiety

All I want is someone to remember

my favorite shade of blue and kiss

My monster is my loneliness

and the way it shutters my body

to the light The danger is in going

too soft too soon like fruit on the tree

I never want to hurt anybody just

learn things like how to stop wanting

things I cannot have How to start by

stopping wanting for myself

I want sun to hit people’s faces

like bright lemons their cheeks

I want my cat to be happy and know

he makes me happy I want my friends

to smile and to cut them fruit