Alana Hayes
Promise
Promise never to touch me
without my permission.
Promise.
Never make a broken promise.
I know a cursed jaw when I see one.
Many a man has unhinged his mouth
in an attempt to devour me.
Unsuccessfully.
I’m not sure if they’ve forgotten
how very human I will taste when they do that,
or simply forgotten how very human
they once were.
Alana Hayes is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where she received a BA in English Literature and another in Women and Gender Studies. Most of her poetry revolves around themes of Judaism, feminism, and social justice issues. Her work has appeared in Night Music Journal. Follow her on Instagram @womanasriot.
SUBMIT to What Rough Beast via our SUBMITTABLE site.
If you enjoyed today’s poem and you value What Rough Beast, consider making a donation to Indolent Books, a nonprofit poetry press.