SALT, SKIN, AND SLEEPAWAY CAMP
BY LATIFA SEKARINI

shoulder blades slicing through skin like wings
and shiny hair shedding onto sheets
cabin walls start caving in but the curtains are closed
whispers relayed from mouth to skin puncturing me 
is this your first time wearing skin to sleep?

girls at camp only love with their mouths,
but i don’t want secrets
i want skinned knees patched up with kisses,
and worlds built from scratch.
i want birthdays to feel like christmas,
neighbors driving past in their red sedans,
children asking if there will be more lights next year.

are you coming back next year? 
i shake my head
summer gives birth to pillars of salt,
maybe the occasional clean slate
but pillars of salt don’t pay for college
neither does love, but i promise i’ll write
promises don’t pay for college either
but you can always try