language acquisition
By Noah Oakley
i remember childhood store struck wonder,
running fresh hands over shiny, coveted treasure, candy
sweet from the first look, small soon to be forgottens—
adults would say
only one small thing baby
never
whatever you want
i traced this elementary language of limiting desire with my fingers over
and over again,
the way it curves
it lurches
it’s best to learn a language young, they say—
that it becomes harder & harder for your mouth
to form new sounds.
i remember cravings turned towards new diction,
the need to run my thumb over the unnamed,
to know the shapes lips like mine can make.
how do i speak words i thought were silence?
a secret code only caught blanket muffled
in the dead of night,
something inside me waiting
to be touched
About the Author:
Noah Oakley is a young queer writer living in Tampa Bay. They hold a BA in English from the University of Tampa. When not writing, Noah can be found connecting others to cultural experiences in the Bay and enjoying the crazy world of Florida. Noah is a previously unpublished author. You can follow their writing journey on most social media @kno_wa.
About All Accounts:
All Accounts and Mixture is an annual online feature celebrating the work of LGBTQIA+ writers and artists. For this series, we seek work from authors who self-identify as "queer," while acknowledging that this designation is subjective and highly personal. Our goal is to provide a forum for writers whose voices might be mis- or underrepresented by the literary mainstream. Submissions are open from June 1 to July 1. Poetry, prose, visual art, reviews and interviews will all be considered. Visit Submittable for more details.