plum
by Laura McKee
In the late 18th century, the word plum was used to indicate something desirable what is the same colour as this I've seen it reached for by varicose veins aubergines and
purple sea stars plum blossoms bloom to become young fruit petals of blossom fall
to
bloom again across pavements mature fruits may have a dusty white coating this too is bloom
wax bloom to wax to grow to bloom to flower a sticky flowering a natural
secretion
this is the lipstick I opted for after trying all the testers on the back of my hand like practice kisses improper enough dark enough witch like in a way not straight edged hat in cool goth black not the wicked witch is dead alive enough to say fuck the patriarchy and also may I fuck you please an overly polite witch
maybe this colour makes me think of other lips I should own up to this or know this by now know it like the back of my hand I study the back of my hand it looks older in winter my wrinkled finger joints properly known as interphalangeals properly seen now seem to be cunt lips properly known as labia minora
in botany this fruit is a drupe outer fleshy parts surround a single shell with a seed inside indehiscent it does not split at maturity along a line of weakness
it will decay or be taken
and eaten before it can open up and release its contents
used for a tart a sauce
or other reduction crammed into a jam jar or cupped fresh to the
mouth it begs to be eaten
attention seeker exhibitionist doesn't sit politely in a bowl boasting
of keeping the doctor away though sometimes it daydreams of being an apple dunked into water and floating witchlike reached for by willing mouths
it lets the curve of itself shine up at you a gentle but sure bite tears into the skin that held it together let the sweetness run down your chin and river itself to your neck down across your collar bone to your breasts the mess of it all
Laura McKee
Cover of fourteen poems magazine. Plum coloured!
Apparently it’s THE day to be seen if you’re bisexual so here’s my poem about that kinda seeing yourself and being seen thing. #BisexualVisibility
