Eliana Gray
to wish to peer over the ledge of an opening crater at the melted centre of the planet
to yearn
for the lava to break the edge and just see what it would feel like
looking hot and slow
Desire becomes hilarious
feels like playing chicken with quicksand
or going to a beautiful swim spot
to be eaten by sandflies
Laid out platter-style on the edge of the current
it's not fashionable to hate yourself
but we do it anyway
sure the key to shame inhabits performance
If the crater would only open
if the boundaries would only break
if a hand could touch lava
if transformation was the answer
Most experiences live in the anticipation
the ungrasping
Eliana Gray is a writer living in Ōtepoti. You can find their poetry, essays, and art criticism littered about the internet, and in print, in places such as: Art New Aotearoa, The Pantograph Punch, The Spinoff, Landfall, and Overland. They saw 2 orcas in the harbour 2 days ago.