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      January 13, 2024On My First Day of KindergartenMiracle Thornton

      i picked a rose for my bus driver
      from the bushes outside of my older
      brother’s window. it was pink and red
      like the deer split beside me
      at the end of the driveway,
      reeking of fresh cut
      grass. i put my nose to the flower
      but gagged. it smelled
      like the green of panties
      caught under the door.
      my lunch rattled
      in my new blue backpack
      as i leaned over the deer,
      my scalp thrumming hot
      from the braids my mother
      gave me the night before.
      i was careful not to let
      my denim dress touch
      the liver pumping wet
      and useless between us.
      before i could place the rose
      i heard a scream behind me
      and the bus let out
      a horrible sigh as it came
      to a stop. the bus shook
      with dozens of little pale
      mouths pressed at the windows,
      the driver’s mouth fullest
      with teeth.

      from Plucked

      Miracle Thornton

      “When I encountered the Aesop fable, the moral of the story—an individual caught between pride and loyalty—immediately resonated with me. Growing up, I always felt pulled between the environment of my home and my hometown. It was difficult to understand who I was when it changed depending on the room, depending on whomever else occupied the space. The bird was a powerful conduit and spoke to the illusive aspects of my ever-evolving sense of self.”

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