It is a house
       

I shared one face with the family
it had been painted had been made up like a house
it had one maternal eye one paternal eye
each was glassy as a window
the nose a door no mouth

and so for all those years I didn't speak
said nothing even when they put me in the chair
they peered down into me from such a height their eyes were large
they wanted me to talk I knew but didn't
I learned silence kept us safe

but speaking now I've lost all face I've cast it off
parted I stand outside
I pace up and down the walkway
press my mouth against the drag of heels on stone
can I enter still or must I leave
the house makes no reply its silence is

the moon is empty of the rabbit and the girl
even they are ashamed of what I have done
now it is dark

the windows fill with lights one by one
can I make myself a new face if I have none

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Copyright © 2019 Wendy Chen All rights reserved
from Unearthings
Tavern Books
Reprinted by Verse Daily® with permission