Four letters from my mama
by Bei Jie Si
after adam hamze
|
i opened my mouth &
the ocean left us with sweat. subtle metallic sang to us. the songs i carried the treasures in my eyes– smeared eyeliner from worry. open your mouth you cannot fail. you are my hungriest love eat the entire sea |
a school of fish swam in.
nothing but salt lives here now. chiming bells speak our names from my island. it is all the dark reflection of sweat. always for you. jie si– there will always be my hard work. go to the market & never starve |
their scales heavy like
an inherited taste for bells, like the ones that you are named after i want my bao bei’s cheeks. i know i need never fish. i promise me & you will always work hard. eat our favorite dried fish & remember. |
Bei Jie Si (she/ her/ hers) is a poet and artist in Austin, Texas. She is Co-President of the only poetry organization on UT's campus (Spitshine Poetry) where she leads workshops and organizes open mics. She was a 2017 Write Bloody Contest finalist and has been published or is forthcoming in Button Poetry, Write About Now, Muzzle Magazine, The Dialogoist, Nat. Brut, and elsewhere. She spends her time writing, studying, drawing, singing, watching Steven Universe, and eating.