By Misti
Date: 27 January 1998

teaching myself to you

 I am beautiful
    naked
  unafraid to love
     you
  deeply and well
   I will express
     myself
  to you
  in the glow of
   red and purple candles
 sultry and wanton
   my long raven hair
 framing two perfect
    ivory breasts
  I will sing myself
   into your ears
 with mad laughter
  you think I'm 24
but really
   I'm 12
 I will shout my essence
  across your sky
 be it blue
  black or gray
  my sorrow is a proud sorrow
   worn like honor
  hard-earned
    you think
   I'm 24
when actually
  I'm 100.