The Meadow Annual Literary Arts Journal 2022

176 The Meadow I wanted to be wanted so I got rid of the things I adored still sleeping with my security blanket, I smoked on the way to school at some point I was supposed to hate my mom, even if I still slept on her bedroom floor sometimes I don’t know what to call it but I know what it is. And who doesn’t? I was a woman before I had the body, the accessories, the age in the doorframe of my closet, on top of shower tiles or between bed sheets, floating in hallways Now I stand in my library and stare at the dolls in my possession Most bought online in pristine condition, their boxes lined up neatly on Ikea shelves I want to open them, but something tells me I’m not supposed to

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