don’t collect $200
i pass
but just enough
a solid 65 straddling the line
best not buck them hips
cuz that’s one ferocious animal
ready to throw you to the wolves
staring mechanically through your misery
i pass
but just enough
not enough to collect $200
but enough to make it one more round
oh what a life
running to begin the cycle anew
you’re cheating!
go directly to jail.
i pass
but not by my own efforts
dragged out to sea by a wave of perception
then pulled under by the wrath of those chaotic waters
and in those final moments
when air cries out in my veins for release
seeking to desert me like so much else
i ponder if camouflage was the only gift
the only blessing my maker saw fit to bestow upon me
Kristian Grant is a graduating senior at FIT who can often be found dodging public perception by tending to their villagers on Animal Crossing. The hottest non-binary femme on two legs to grace Laurelton, New York, Kristian is an avid lover of pop culture and unapologetic queerness. Their love for writing stemmed from innumerable childhood trips to the public library. Since then, they have found immense beauty and joy in crafting poetry and writing fiction.