would’ve made foaming volcanoes instead of tri-fold
book blurbs at sixth-grade state-mandated science fairs.
I would propose hypotheses on how much
anxiety affects comorbidity with eating disorders,
the same way I feel when chewing thin split nails
could be the way I crave seaweed-stained fingers
in between my teeth. holding back coughs
searching for some kind of
greater purpose behind all of these
lies we tell ourselves. skin and bone
the difference between fat and free,
leaning on this warped understanding
of healthy habits leaning on
education as understanding
leaning gently into crossfaded jeans
in the fitting room the inevitable tearing of
fabrics and strings as this body attempts to
mold around a forsaken size; one which does
not consistently consist in other thighs
defining a number by size as if there is a true thing
as fits all
Britt Bustos (she/they) is a poet, editor, writer, educator, and musician taking up space in Houston, TX. She holds both an MFA and MA from Sam Houston State University and currently teaches English to incarcerated students at Lee College of Huntsville. Her creative and critical works appear/are forthcoming in new words {press}, Atticus Review, Heavy Feather Review, McNeese Review’s Boudin, West Trade Review, table//FEAST Literary Magazine,The WAC Clearinghouse, and elsewhere. find them @brittbustos.
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