Kristin Garth: Stripping on 9/11
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Stripping on 9/11

 

feels patriotic and this Sisqó song

an anthem, tandem table dances, gift —

two girls for tragedy.  Tonight you long

to sacrifice.  Work an unscheduled shift

when your house mother calls, explains

“Marines” & you know she means money there

for you.  But you saw, it, too: TV planes

then drive beneath a twilight sky, none in air,

to windowless castles to dance for men

in underwear.  A topless schoolgirl who

tonight removes the minuscule plaid skirt

she never does because it hides her shame:

potbelly.  Drops her pride.  Tonight should hurt,

belongs in thongs, America bracelets,

a veteran buys some young service guys

mispronouncing cities where they may die.


Kristin Garth is a kneesock enthusiast and a Best of the Net nominated sonnet stalker. In addition to Yes, her poetry has stalked magazines like Glass, Five:2: One, Anti-Heroin Chic, Former Cactus, Occulum, Luna Luna, & many more.  She has a chapbook Pink Plastic House (Maverick Duck Press), two forthcoming: Pensacola Girls (Bone & Ink Press, Sept 2018) and Shakespeare for Sociopaths (The Hedgehog Poetry Press Jan 2019).  Her full length, Candy Cigarette, is forthcoming April 2019 (The Hedgehog Poetry Press). Follow her on Twitter:  (@lolaandjolie), her weekly poetry column (https://www.rhythmnbone.com/sonnetarium) and her website (kristingarth.wordpress.com).