Gently chew to soften the ridges

Bogi Takács


Nubs of bone like molars grow inside
my mucuous membranes –
rasp your tongue against my palate, push
fingers inside my mouth, reach inside, trigger
my gag reflex it is the most intimate please
click fingernails against nubs – try to tease out
new growth, pinch and pull splinters like
rabbits from a hat, put them in a carefully
padded box with your other treasures, save
my DNA for what will be coming.

Lick my back, gently chew to soften the ridges
ease the pain, I am turning – it is the act that
confers closeness shared across a chasm of species
please do not be afraid of hurting me – you have yet
to reach the part where you will need to wrench
the wings out of my torso in order to
preserve me for further acts of love.

One foot on my back please grab hold of
the protrusions, wipe your hands on
your trousers – your grip is slick with
sweat and you cuss please words
keep me tethered to existence
yank my bones telescoping
hang me from the ceiling
by my new-formed limbs
please

hold me swear and whisper
that you will keep me close to the
body heat of your exertion, my face
against your shirt sprinkled with my blood –
smear it into curlicues, we are fluid-bonded and
now I know you will stay by my side across
the expanses of space and time, help me through
whichever change comes next.


Bogi Takács is a Hungarian Jewish agender trans person currently living in the US. Eir work has been published in venues like Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons and Apex. Eir website is at www.prezzey.net and you can find em on Twitter as @bogiperson. E also reviews books focusing on marginalized authors at Bogi Reads the World.