let me be libellous
by Florence Heap
in my bathroom I sharpen a scimitar which the moon reflects like a pastry
the numbers of which increase with consumption
whilst the vacuum of malice pursues whoever looks dusty
a baby generation yearns for infamy
in this debate I root for the hogs, as is reasonable
fortune tells the stealthy to watch their backs
a motor-way or highway are the same thing from different angles
the word ‘upset’ returns like the wasp-men of summer
evacuating you from the comfy life you lead
don’t ever say
this isn’t a ranch
the numbers of which increase with consumption
whilst the vacuum of malice pursues whoever looks dusty
a baby generation yearns for infamy
in this debate I root for the hogs, as is reasonable
fortune tells the stealthy to watch their backs
a motor-way or highway are the same thing from different angles
the word ‘upset’ returns like the wasp-men of summer
evacuating you from the comfy life you lead
don’t ever say
this isn’t a ranch
motivational talks
by Florence Heap
my lizard brain wasn’t built for theory
but snappy responses
which are super reptilian
I am thinking about the formal words like ‘unfortunately’
I am wondering if I ever say it out loud and it turns out I don’t
surely there is a better metaphor than a staircase
for that feeling u get sometimes
I wish I could barbecue something across my face
like maybe the grains of cauliflower
the success of my premonitions is stronger than their failings
or feels so subjectively
now I always hate on myself and then I get what I want
which is never to be proven wrong
I read a peach in ur work and it was SHOCKING
but last night dreamt three instances of inadequacy in
love life work
woke up late with the garbage trucks
and a big block of concrete on my tummy
because this is called FITNESS
the denial of babies
becoming larger and shiny
insert ‘desirable’
my death drive is swampy and
so supercilious
but snappy responses
which are super reptilian
I am thinking about the formal words like ‘unfortunately’
I am wondering if I ever say it out loud and it turns out I don’t
surely there is a better metaphor than a staircase
for that feeling u get sometimes
I wish I could barbecue something across my face
like maybe the grains of cauliflower
the success of my premonitions is stronger than their failings
or feels so subjectively
now I always hate on myself and then I get what I want
which is never to be proven wrong
I read a peach in ur work and it was SHOCKING
but last night dreamt three instances of inadequacy in
love life work
woke up late with the garbage trucks
and a big block of concrete on my tummy
because this is called FITNESS
the denial of babies
becoming larger and shiny
insert ‘desirable’
my death drive is swampy and
so supercilious
my boss says ‘make milk hot’
by Florence Heap
and today I am feeling neglected by extraterrestrials
each person arrives carrying
a micro-justification like a lapdog
Adrian rides backwards on his phantom transport to
make real great again
the slogan is a weary traveler
but we have too many consonants in Canada so it doesn’t sound so good
I discover a birthmark on my scalp
called stork bite which I write as
stalk bite
because I am hot and dangerous
when not peeing myself mid-sneeze
my father says
de nos jours because we all know
French has an un-translatable je ne sais quoi
in my mouth tastes of
uneasy apathy
in Mandarin brown is ‘coffee coloured’
which creates momentary workplace confusion
resolved and we all laugh and go to our merry homes
my anxiety projected onto a puppy because
I am a tiny small baby child
when u leave I imagine
DISASTER
anthropomorphism comes back to bite
at least,
that’s how it looks
to untrained eyes
each person arrives carrying
a micro-justification like a lapdog
Adrian rides backwards on his phantom transport to
make real great again
the slogan is a weary traveler
but we have too many consonants in Canada so it doesn’t sound so good
I discover a birthmark on my scalp
called stork bite which I write as
stalk bite
because I am hot and dangerous
when not peeing myself mid-sneeze
my father says
de nos jours because we all know
French has an un-translatable je ne sais quoi
in my mouth tastes of
uneasy apathy
in Mandarin brown is ‘coffee coloured’
which creates momentary workplace confusion
resolved and we all laugh and go to our merry homes
my anxiety projected onto a puppy because
I am a tiny small baby child
when u leave I imagine
DISASTER
anthropomorphism comes back to bite
at least,
that’s how it looks
to untrained eyes
Florence Heap is a Philosophy graduate, originally from the UK. She currently resides in Vancouver. Her work has been published in Smithereens Literary Magazine, Uppagus and nitcreme zine. She is also a past co-editor of Icarus magazine.
