REGRESSION

6 9 R R E G R E S S I O N E L I Z A B E T H M E T Z G E R Age promised he knew What I was thinking from his pulpit. He threatened To tap the wires within me, Swore he’d turn my hips out, Make me bleed. Gradually He spread a light brown fur around my body. By dark I taught myself to raze The bu√er animal. I cut and tied a second navel, relearned The pleasure of my thumbs. Each passing ambulance was an a√air In which a cop o√ered me milk. Tell me the stranger’s unsafe. Tell me the child Is holy. I wanted to believe you. I wanted to be kept weak. ...