By Danny Perkins
Artist Note: Because of my struggles dating as a queer and trans person, and lack of relationships due to my difficulty navigating the queer dating scene as someone without a lot of experience, I’ve mostly kept to myself in these past years. I’m a part of the vibrant LGBTQ+ community on campus, and while I’m certainly not alone in terms of loving friendships, romance has escaped me. This piece of work is the manifestation of a very specific kind loneliness that I find hard to describe, and something I think I’ll still be wrestling with in the foreseeable future. Fingers crossed it changes someday.
–
i’m starving
my fingers grow thin
stomach caved in
eyes growing dull
i haven’t been held in months
a kiss feels an eternity away
my skin is electric
a wire pulled taut
i feel myself turning to dust
crumbing at the slightest touch
undisturbed for so many years
the slightest breath is overwhelming
seeing others in love makes my bones ache
i avert my eyes as if i’m staring into the sun
is this body capable of being adored?
headlines say no
papers mock
whispers behind backs
the in-between child
not of this earth
my friends answer yes
my mind knows otherwise
a blessing and a curse intertwined
settling into my skin
painting me an outsider
