She is me—
the woman your mother warned you about
when your childish hands declared they were a man’s
and left hers empty to grieve.

I am the one who won’t love you through
alcoholic bursts of abuse. I won’t chew on
belittlement flavored bubblegum and just be
happy
you
acknowledged me.
I am not the one to love you
unconditionally;
and I won’t be the light you reach for when you’ve
gone and done it,
again.
I’d rather eat the stars and leave us all in
darkness.

I am the woman your mother warned you about
when your infidelity slipped out of your pants and into
another’s mouth.

I am the woman your mother warned you about
when you pressed your teeth against my cheek
and snarled.

I am the woman your mother warned you about, and I’ll
be damned
if your daughter isn’t, too.

Kindra M. Austin is an author, editor, and micro-publisher from Chesaning, Michigan, USA. Her debut novel was published in April, 2017. To date, Austin has published three poetry books (Constant Muses, TWELVE, rated five stars by Readers’ Favorite, and All the Beginnings of Everything), a novel (Magpie in August), and one novella (For You, Rowena). She is currently working on a second novel (Royce with the Rose Gold Hair) to be released in early 2020.

Other publications include several poems featured on SpillWords; contributions to Sudden Denouement Anthology Volume I, Swear to Me, and All the Lonely People; and four essays and articles advocating for LGBTQ rights, printed in the Ohio Mansfield Pride magazine. She also contributed to, and served as one of four editors for We Will Not Be Silenced: The Lived Experience of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Told Powerfully Through Poetry, Essay, and Art.

You can read more of her work atKINDRA M. AUSTIN