TX
by Tianna Bratcher
How long have you had these symptoms?
Something always hasmy breath init’s
claws. I have never inhaled
with ease
What caused this attack?
Sometimes mybody
decidestodo
whatI
cannot
Are you allergic to anything?
Thesequestions
canbe answered ifyou
giveme the treatment
Do you have insurance?
inthe crevasses of every
sidewalk thereare
centuries of blood
Isthat not payment enough
I’m sorry, can you repeat that?
No
What is your current address?
Here withthe white
lights. This may be
thelast placeI ever live
What is your family history?
Everything wrong withour blood
and lungs wegotfrom
bondage
I meant medical
Cancer Lupus
no one can breathe
On a scale of 1-10 how tight is your chest?
I’ve never known my
pain to change anything
Are you experiencing any pain?
Only when theair
istrying to enter
Or escape
Tianna Bratcher (they/she) is a Black, queer, genderfluid poet living in Los Angeles. They have received fellowships from The Watering Hole, Griot’sWell, and Tin House. Their work has been published in or is forthcoming in*Poetry *Magazine, Muzzle Magazine, Shade Literary Arts, Stellium Lit Magazine, Ink Well, December Magazine, and elsewhere. Tianna is receiving her MFA in Creative writing at Randolph College, is a big sister and aspiring movie critic who is infatuated with vampire media, the lives of trees, and collage-making.