KS Keeney, caller
Uncovering
1.
Once I ran without
a bra, full tilt, full tit, no
wire or elastic and it hurt.
For days the underside
of my left breast was sore,
a strange pull like a tweaked
ankle. It was nice
to have my space back.
2.
We left your lace draped
across the headboard, hoping
your parents would notice, desperate
to be seen and screamed at.
3.
The garters made an indent breaking
the waves of my thigh wine-dark
on one side and white on the other.
You pressed
there until both
turned red.
4.
Laying naked
on the bed,
following print
lines. Red, purple,
and sick green-yellow.
There is no need to cover
the neck but my fingers
can’t stop tracing spirals
around the column.
Couples Corsetry
We are bound, spiral steel bone crushing us together tied
gasping fainting panting looking for a way out knifing
through laces coutil and cages out so these
red lines breathe can be pressed
into hissing pain holding
bruises for the curve
of a hip
but i curve
to you every
time allow
that press of flesh and hold
us together at least there’s something
something to keep me from spilling i’m split
open my pink ribbons spilling out to lace our grommet spine
“The theme of this exhibit was ‘structures’ and I immediately thought of one of the most personal structures. Both of these poems focus on lingerie and undergarments and how they symbolize a multitude of things, especially in women’s most intimate moments.”