by Tony Schanuel
Rebirth
You look at me with such contempt.
A room filled with the smell—
Water lilies and sex
I am done with you.
I do not ask you to stay.
I watch you leave—
Slamming the door
The noise echoes in my ears.
I lost my purity years ago.
That does not ease the ache
Between my legs
Or the throb in my chest.
The moon will bloom tonight
And I will plant it in my bed.
I will lie with it
And suck on its glow.
Like a newborn
Filling my body with youth
And purity all again—
A fresh virgin.
Reborn
Only to fall victim to sin
Defecate and purge
All beauty in my brain.
I will ask the moon
To come lie with me again.
I will breathe in the night
Which gives me lungs.
Celeste Schueler is a neurodiverse feminist living and teaching in rural Oklahoma. She is a recent graduate of the MFA program at Mississippi University for Women. She teaches creative writing at Western Oklahoma State College in Altus, OK. Some of her work as been published online at Feminist Space Camp Magazine. She is also the mother to twin girls.
Tony Schanuel is an award-winning photographer and visual artist who has fused a professional background in photography, digital technology,and painting and mark making to create fine art that transcends those mediums. His work has been featured in Digital Imaging Magazine, Computer Graphic Magazine, Wild Heart Journal, St. Louis Design Magazine, and is a featured artist in Cyber Palette and Extreme Graphics, two books showcasing digital artists and their work. He has exhibited at the Florence Biennale and his art is held in private and corporate collections including the Fine Arts Museum of Houston permanent photographic collection.