Poem by Madeline Minks

Art by Lucas Eglin

busy bees buzz in

my gut

bucking, 

up, buckle

up, buttercup.

but,

it’s not enough

if you bit off the brush.

buzzing gut hums

barely too much.

bigger

belly, bigger

bones.

i hone in

on the marrow.

barrels of bodies

in my head.

i bring them

out, bounce

them on the bed. beautiful

boys i have

bled

to see if they

fit in my seams, just a

busy body dream, i guess.

not a bitch, just my best.

like a

bird in the

breast,

birdbeat,

heartbeat.

my chest bears

from beneath

and i imagine

the brevity

of a blue belly. 

bet you couldn’t

beat me in

a game of beasts.