Breaking Point

My coming of age, I suppose

She was an old enemy

from the days of crayons

and construction paper,

the only enemy I hadn’t managed

to outrun.

 

That day

I recited the words

my father had told me:

 

If you say another word, b***h,

I’ll break your f*****g nose,

 

though my voice was quiet,

caged inside my visible ribs.

 

And when she shouted at me

to do it,

do it, b***h

with a loud,

mocking laugh,

I swung my fist into her cheek.

 

Neither of our bones broke,

neither of us bruised.

But I felt my molecules rearrange,

felt my brain chemistry catalyze,

growing teeth,

and retractable claws,

sharp and long, sheathed

behind lips and skin.

 

The entire world turned on an axis

piercing my body.

The entire world dangled from my spine.

Reviews

[Amanda Naomi]

i love the second to last stanza:

"Neither of our bones broke,
neither of us bruised.
But I felt my molecules rearrange,
felt my brain chemistry catalyze,
growing teeth,
and retractable claws,
sharp and long, sheathed
behind lips and skin."

it gives me the image of a girl turning into a giant cat

beautiful!