[POETRY]

[02/02/26]

There Is Nothing Fairy About Guilt

Four Poems by Payson Whitwell

There Is Nothing Fairy About Guilt

As a child I forced myself 
to like tuna fish 
because my mother did 

I thought every girl 
got her “adult woman boobs” 

mine never came, so I carry 
a two-inch shell
of air around my waist,

and wish for a prosthetic

to make a pool
atop my heart

Julian of Norwich

every shirt I put on
turns to a frock or whatever
the doomed wore to eat alone 

I am not talking
about your body

walked you right into that 
question– “May I?” 
knowing I would
say no

I speak better than I write
remind myself
obscurity is the common experience

In Death There Is No Lunch

A hebrew national hotdog wrinkles
in the microwave–
this is the frank
you depend on.

I am losing the battle against nothing
matters. A morsel 
of where you come from, 
what your mother thinks 
is a good amount to eat.

I tend to think nothing
will make you sick.
Mercury levels, a modern panic.
An upside down open face 
sandwich, tuna on the plate.

Reddit user VaginaBurp says 
sweet mother of pearl, 
it's good.

untitled

I could write a book or not write a book
and still might lose a child

PAYSON WHITWELL is a writer and actor from Los Angeles. Her poetry can be found in publications such as Dunce Codex, Wreath, and SARKA.