{"id":2062,"date":"2022-04-28T10:25:03","date_gmt":"2022-04-28T14:25:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/variantlit.com\/?page_id=2062"},"modified":"2022-04-29T11:24:57","modified_gmt":"2022-04-29T15:24:57","slug":"body","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/variantlit.com\/body\/","title":{"rendered":"Body"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Body
<\/b><\/h1>\n

Richaundra Thursday<\/h3>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||-2px|||” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Josefin Slab||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.2em” custom_padding=”|0px||0px||”]<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t body well. \u2018Mother\u2019 another mattress
tag stitched to the comforter of me, do not<\/em>
remove<\/em>. When they removed the winding
pass to possibility, I looked at the fronded,
soft anemone of me and laughed, I\u2019m told,
of course this is what so frightened Love
-craft. My therapist checks I will not unravel
when asked what part of me I like. I say
my shoulders, explain how hard I am
trying to repatriate them from Atlas\u2019 colon
-ization. My tattoo artist asks if it is hard
to wear a binder for half a day, three-fourths
of a life, I tell her it is easier to work in
but harder to work out. I tell her my shoulders
demand a size that fails to constrict
enough, but maybe I will grow into myself.
My friend asks if I can remove it, circulate
blood back and forth from claustrophobic
heart\u2014the guides all say do not exceed
eight hours, as if I have ever learned
to work less than ten \u2014I say, I don\u2019t know
how to remove without recompense, besides
who has the time. That window open
for eating, another feat I\u2019m never quite artist
of the trapeze enough to reach. I stretch
and stretch into tomorrows, almost buy
a shirt that reads \u2018I won\u2019t rest when I\u2019m dead
either.\u2019 There is little comfort in any soft
animal, marine or otherwise. I am a skittish
menagerie. My therapist says the komodo
at the back of my brain needs to communicate
with the gorilla at the front, but I know the route
-r is down and the messages are left unread\/on
read. I ground myself less like lightning, ozone
effervescent, and more like a snapped bear trap.<\/p>\n

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R. Thursday<\/strong> (they\/them) is an educator, historian, writer, and all around nerd. When not subverting middle school Social Studies curricula, they can be found whittling down their TBR pile, cooking the spiciest version of any given dish, floundering at video games, or writing about vampires, superheroes, mental health, queerness, and on a good day, all of the above. They live in South King County, Washington.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”|auto|-100px|auto||” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/variantlit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Color-Print-Logo-with-full-text-1.jpg&#8221<\/a>; title_text=”Color-Print-Logo-with-full-text-1″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” positioning=”relative” vertical_offset=”50px”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/variantlit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ncwn-logo.jpg&#8221<\/a>; title_text=”ncwn-logo” _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” positioning=”relative” vertical_offset=”50px”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_signup provider=”mailpoet” mailpoet_list=”Variant Literature|3″ title=”Subscribe to our Newsletter” _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” form_field_background_color=”#000000″ form_field_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#000000″ background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#000000″ button_bg_color=”#FFFFFF” button_border_width=”6px” button_border_color=”#000000″ button_border_radius=”20px”][\/et_pb_signup][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”81px||4px|||”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.10″ _module_preset=”default”]<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Variant Literature Inc 2021<\/em><\/p>\n

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Body Richaundra ThursdayI don\u2019t body well. \u2018Mother\u2019 another mattresstag stitched to the comforter of me, do notremove. When they removed the windingpass to possibility, I looked at the fronded,soft anemone of me and laughed, I\u2019m told,of course this is what so frightened Love-craft. My therapist checks I will not unravelwhen asked what part of me […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159740901,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"

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Dinner Party with Your Ex-Lover
<\/b><\/h1>

Rebecca Alifimoff<\/h3>

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=\"1\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"||-2px|||\" custom_padding=\"0px||0px|||\"][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_padding=\"0px|||||\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font=\"Josefin Slab||||||||\" text_text_color=\"#000000\" text_font_size=\"16px\" text_line_height=\"1.2em\" custom_padding=\"|0px||0px||\" hover_enabled=\"0\" sticky_enabled=\"0\"]<\/p>

I\u2019m throwing a party for forgiveness,
Look, here are the plastic cups, the twinkle lights,
the cheap boxed wine.
A party as if to say: We regret the error.
We being, of course, how people hide
from the solitary of I. Here I am
with my fancy cheeses and cardboard party hats.
Come inside, this time I will accept love
like it is a carefully wrapped present.
This time I say thank you
and learn to smile. We can sit on the floor
and eat finger foods: spanakopita and wrapped figs,
we can dance the cha cha slide
in my living room and I\u2019ll suck the pain out of your neck
like venom from a snake bite.
Listen, it is always one small death or another,
not explanation but fact. On Easter, we went to mass
and at brunch I ate the eggs in purgatory. Not really
another revelatory detail. Listen, in a couple hours
my whole fridge will be lousy with leftover apologies,
so if you\u2019d like the last of my coconut ice cream,
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 have at it.<\/p>

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" text_font=\"Josefin Slab||||||||\" text_text_color=\"#000000\" text_font_size=\"16px\"]V. Joshua Adams<\/strong> is the author of a chapbook, <\/span>Cold Affections<\/span><\/i> (Plan B Press, 2018). Work of his has appeared or is forthcoming in Bennington Review, Posit, Painted Bride Quarterly, Tupelo Quarterly, and elsewhere. A former editor of Chicago Review, as well as a translator and critic, he teaches literature and writing at the University of Louisville. Follow him on Twitter @vjoshuaadams<\/span>
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=\"1_3,1_3,1_3\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_margin=\"|auto|-100px|auto||\" custom_padding=\"0px||0px|||\"][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/variantlit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Color-Print-Logo-with-full-text-1.jpg\" title_text=\"Color-Print-Logo-with-full-text-1\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" positioning=\"relative\" vertical_offset=\"50px\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_image src=\"https:\/\/variantlit.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ncwn-logo.jpg\" title_text=\"ncwn-logo\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" positioning=\"relative\" vertical_offset=\"50px\"][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=\"1_3\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_signup provider=\"mailpoet\" mailpoet_list=\"Variant Literature|3\" title=\"Subscribe to our Newsletter\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" form_field_background_color=\"#000000\" form_field_text_color=\"#FFFFFF\" header_text_align=\"center\" header_text_color=\"#000000\" background_color=\"#FFFFFF\" custom_button=\"on\" button_text_color=\"#000000\" button_bg_color=\"#FFFFFF\" button_border_width=\"6px\" button_border_color=\"#000000\" button_border_radius=\"20px\"][\/et_pb_signup][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\" custom_padding=\"81px||4px|||\"][et_pb_column type=\"4_4\" _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\"][et_pb_text _builder_version=\"4.9.10\" _module_preset=\"default\"]<\/p>

\u00a9 Variant Literature Inc 2021<\/em><\/p>

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