throwaway

ripley soprano

my grandpa was an ardent labor man 
my other grandpa still calls zimbabwe "rhodesia"
my godfather is richer than jesus and hotter too
do you know me now
what did zuck say
do you know me now
i want to smoke tina with michael alig
if i was to have dinner with anyone, alive or dead
it would be him
i want to know the fiend who kills their friend over a rock, 
lost behind a radiator, bitten by a rat
id still love them
we all have the capacity to commit the crimes 
we tell ourselves we never could
i want to tell him i'll be thinking of him
do you know me now

does this make it better
i don't feel the weight lifted
i pray for the serenity to know the things i cannot
i pray for the courage to change 
but what if i don't have the will
will you still love me
where do you put those of us who hurt others
there's no such place as away

RIPLEY SOPRANO is a New York-based writer, organizer, and recent Queer|Art Literature Fellow. They are the author of two chapbooks: Materials (WONDER 2020) and Premises (Newest York 2019), a former editor at Mask Magazine, and current collaborator with Radio Bonita and the feminist skate wear collective BRUJAS. They are launching a new magazine called Dirty Magazine this spring.

Originally published March 2021 in poiesis 2.1 by w the trees.