MaNHaTTaN Linear

by Gabriella

Exo-Me

Breathing inside the caricature you painted me,
“I am,” silently I am screaming,
But you don’t hear me—
“I am,” silently I am screaming,
You don’t see me—
“I am,” silently I am screaming,
You don’t feel me—
“I am,” silently I am breathing
Within the caricature you’re painting me—

Unmasked

Silently screaming beneath caricature stuck on me,
Screaming! Scratching the caricature stuck on me,
Strip by strip stripping caricature off of me . . .
Strips of caricature pooling at my feet,
Unmasked—
I am my very reflection,
See me—