Poetry:
Michael
Russell
the silence feat. uranus, neptune
in the new dub
for season 3 of sailor moon,
the outer guardians
uranus & neptune are lovers
who came from the coldest
pocket in space, the unstitched
hem of our galaxy.
their mission: to burn
through the silence
glaive pressed against
the thin cherry blossom
of a human throat.
their throats, maybe
—ours? boyfriend,
on a crowded street
how many planets exist
between your lips
& mine?
i want to flick honey
off my tongue, let its sweet
nothing land in the cove
of your ear.
how many planets exist
between pop music & masculinity?
my nape
& diamonds of sweat
your beard? sweetheart,
armor the soft throat
of your body
drifting alone & down
a midnight alley,
into a movie theater
where lights sizzle
before they simmer
& speakers
throw sirens like knuckles.
i want to walk my fingers
along the unflexed
muscles in your hand,
burn through risk
with water, air, love.
Michael Russell (he/they) is the author of chapbook Grindr Opera (Frog Hollow Press). He’s queer, has BPD, Bipolar Disorder, and way too much anxiety. His work has appeared in Arc Poetry Magazine, SICK Magazine, and untethered, among other places. He lives in Toronto and thinks you’re fantabulous. Insta: @michael.russell.poet.
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Heavy Feather Review 