Alchemy by Sarah Johnnes
Standing at the kitchen sink washing sweet potatoes,
I look out the window past the old scratched soda bottles
rescued from the wusband. They say “Dream. A little bit of
sunshine in every sip.” Dream. Dream of suprificious
relationships that you want to peel. Peel away sadness.
Peel away distress. Just peel away like the fasted car at late
night street races. My skin is rubbed raw. My knuckles
punched through limitations as if they were jets breaking
sound barriers. I will eat these barriers, barf them up, and
bury them, I will grow sweet beets beneath. I will use beetroot
juice to conjure love spells. Do you understand? Do you
see the nature beneath? Do you want to join me? We can
fly out the kitchen window over the gingko tree and
perch on the sick cedar dripping sap from broken
pine cones. Will you have a sip with me? An afternoon
aperitif of sorrow. - in grandma’s chipped crystal