by Stazja McFadyen

Tonight I am a diagram in slices,
one quarter sweet ecstatic cream filled,
legs still jelly from our Billie Holiday afternoon.

Another quarter minced meat,
vexed and wanting,
impractical woman wanting,

subdivided, wanting you to

1. miss me;

2. tell me again some night
while I'm washing your dishes,
it's time to come to bed.

The rest is plain filled,
going about this solitary
business of living.

Stazja McFadyen is author of Garland (PoetWords Press, 2002) and a contributor to Vital Signs: The Primal Sessions, a compilation CD of women's spoken word (NoFloProductions). She is venue coordinator for the Austin International Poetry Festival and publishes two weekly e-newsletters: Map of Austin Poetry and PoEmPath.