Two Poems by Ashley Taylor

To All Who Stare

The correct way to stare at my face
Is to look once
Look twice
And then pretend
Like I totally didn’t just catch you staring at my face

I know
it’s not every day that you see a
Walking constellation
But if it’s any consolation
The big bang appeared on my forehead
Overnight

I know
It’s not every day that you see a
Living piece of art
A masterpiece I’d hate to bogart
Painted in hues of brown, brown, brown
And red

The correct way to stare at my face
Is to look up
Look it down
And then pretend
Like I totally didn’t just roll my eyes at you

I know
It’s not everyday that you see
blinding tenacity
In a person like me
Told from the start that
Their sole purpose in life was to be
Ugly

But my outbreaks
Don’t break me
And my marks
Don’t mar me

The correct way to stare at my face
Is to look once
Look twice
And then try to memorize
What true beauty looks like

 

First Beer

Inspired by Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon
“She was the third beer. Not the first one, which the throat receives with almost tearful gratitude.”

She was the first drink of beer
When you sneak into the bar as a teen
Eyes keen on one thing:
Top shelf
You slide into the stool
Hands fidget on a fake ID
Never checked
A bottle is slid in your direction
Cold

As your fingers wrap
Around its neck
Slowly
You lift it
Amber liquid embrace
Like a treasured gold
Found by the fool
Admire how it looks
Drink it in
Smooth

Curves drenched in ice
Take it lower
To your lips
Softly
Against the glass
But you swallow it
Too fast
It could never last

Appreciate the buzz
Release your fears
She was
Your first beer

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