metamorphosis as princess ladybug
by lina begonia
an idea births like a pebble, weaves itself into a dance
amongst chapped, aching fingers
here is where you grow / longing & desire
associate their fingers with loving & yearning / i
expand myself with you nestled between my legs you
become / [____________]
out of survival, i find
my voice
amongst hushed whispers
karma arrives to deliver / the same captivity i brought
upon ladybugs in the field / in the second grade / a
younger me kills at least twenty / forgets to poke holes
into a plastic prison / their last home / she becomes god
/ a historian / my memory is choppy / i can only explain
the present with anecdotes from my past
i still think of dead ladybugs
what it means to be a princess if you’re
trapped in a high tower
how much the fairytales we
told in childhood became
our [____________]
lina begonia is a poet-educator based in the san francisco, bay area. her poems are published in local anthologies, digital literary magazines, and in print. find more about her through: linabegonia.com