Body

She is body and something sickly.

Bare chest temptress

tell me quickly

how long it takes to undress

bloated abdomen

translucent skin

sticks to satin

peel fabric

she is body and something delicate.

Glass vessel blown around organs

a construct of fragility

some dichotomy

sense and

sensuality denied

product and object

but never siren

she is body and something wild.

Render vulnerability to violence

resist the urge to act defiant

disrupt presumption of incapacity

scream unruly

at consumption

mistake awareness for seduction

by a body never mine.

Chantelle Van Vuuren (she/her) grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau and daydreams about being a full-time writer in her law lectures. You can find her work in Circular and The Quick Brown Dog.