Travis Sharp

HEART

Potential space to stitch up feels I mean electrical current I mean reckless in bed I mean I know you in sound in man’s chest in man met on OkCupid I mean fix up which is distinct from hook up I mean I have some heart but not a lot of heart I mean I’m not complimentary I mean not domestic this is a reminder that heart rhythms are a metonym for your machine is lovely and loved and we are attuned to your electrical currents they are lovely yes and alive yes this machine is I like to pretend is alive and live wires pretending to be happily but this endless circulation this work this work I tire quickly and turn off the light and dream of saying yes to the man on Adam4Adam in the banana suit snuggling up with the banana suit reaching under the banana suit taking off the banana suit and trying it on when he leaves for work in the morning

SKIN

Self flaying an act of don’t say should I say hoping for should I say reaching for exposure spread my legs expose body look at a gesturing yes a motion of the muscles look at me darling I’m here to stay even when removed you are but what about about leaving you yes I mean I do need you but I’d prefer not to you sculpted me into this sad at least it was me and not someone else at least that oh don’t be upset with me body who says I’m I know you body and know you know I know eye knows yes but I also and together at last body and I but only a fraction of body a fraction more exposed and sensitive incomplete and fractured and overly dramatic sentimental over thin layers of me thin layers of you thin layers of us but thin skin and incidental all the same

LIVER

Liver went to the store. Liver wanders about. Liver wonders about. Liver thinks about its etymology while pushing a buggy. Liver calls it a buggy because Liver is from the southern United States. Liver is self-conscious. Liver picks its poison and filters it through a complicated system I don’t fully understand. Liver grabs the vegetarian options though not vegetarian. Liver thinks Woman is vegetarian and wants to impress her. Look at my veggie burgers. Do you want to see my abs. Liver is shameless.

Travis A Sharp is co-founder and co-editor of Small Po[r]tions and Letter [r] Press. Travis is a soon-to-be graduate of the MFA in Creative Writing & Poetics at UW Bothell. Travis is a queer penguin who escaped to the forest from the nearby zoo and lives lonely happily ever after. Travis tweets at @travisharpie and you can see things Travis has done at TravisASharp.com.