Flytrap

By Anna Stefanic

Stefanic's debut poetry collection on mental health, trauma, feminism, and survival. A short progression detailing the non-linear path through damage and healing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Anna Stefanic
• Release date: Feb 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386800200

Book preview

Cake

You were cake

and it wasn’t my birthday,

and your sweetness went to my head.

Heady aroma of almond and vanilla swirling, dizzying,

and I couldn’t believe it,

and I didn’t deserve it,

and I rushed to run my hands over all of you, savoring, inhaling, consuming,

before anyone realized

that you didn’t belong to me.

Cake is for girls with self-control.

Cake is for girls who know how to handle themselves.

For girls who won’t eat the whole thing in one sitting.

Cake is for girls who know how to be women.

Cake is for girls full of red lips and satisfaction.

Cake is for girls who live life easily.

Cake is for girls with a cherry on top.

Cake should come with a warning label:

Do not consume before operating damaged goods.

Or even,

It’s just cake. Enjoy it. Don’t overthink it.

I wanted so badly to be seen with you,

but was afraid of being caught with you,

and cuffed on charges of possession,

fraud.

You got me high,

and the air is gorgeous and delicious up there.

Your brightness emanated too loud

and dulled the rest of me.

You gave me a taste of what it was

to be the person I wanted to be.

You were cake.

And it wasn’t my birthday.

And your sweetness went to my head.

Secrets, Lies

I’ve been keeping secrets again,

they sneak up on you

as your cords atrophy and you wonder where the distinction lies

between what you haven’t told yet and what you’re

not telling.

And you choke on withholding,

emboldened by the power of the things no one else knows,

and every conversation is a confession, or contains