By Bella Koschalk
The Thing in the Closet is Fanged, Bobbie
I know this ‘cause I’ve seen it, ‘cause it gnaws
on me, Bobbie.
The thing in the closet moves with such grace that, Bobbie,
it dances circles around the both of us.
It feasts on doll eyes and cricket limbs, it waits, it’s so
thirsty, Bobbie, what does it drink?
What does it drink?
In the crooks of its mossy teeth, Bobbie, it crunches
the way I seek love, it crunches the color out of my eyes.
Bobbie, do you remember when it got me by the ankle.
Do you remember how you said
what is to come will come will come and the monster in your closet
is just a magnet to fate.
The thing in my closet
holds my vestiges.
Its laugh sounds like the last
halting break of a car as it falls off the cliff
when the glass shatters and phone calls come through
I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry but—
The thing in my closet has a belly roar
that shakes the windows that shakes our soul(s).
Bobbie, my skin erupts in goosebumps, Bobbie,
the sun takes so long to come out again.
Is there no place where I can be?
Where the milk simmers and the spiders
don’t spin to kill,
just spin to tell this story.
Once I was just trying
to pick out a dress for Easter, Bobbie, remember
how it stuck its talons deep, bone-deep,
under my clavicle
remember what spilled, Bobbie?
Remember how it shone?
The thing in my closet thaws,
puddles, thick and runny.
When the light comes let the light come
let the light come—
Indulgent, Impermanent; Bobbie, Remember?
About the Author:
Bella Koschalk is a creative writing major at Idyllwild Arts Academy. She identifies as a lesbian and queer. She is a proud member of the LGBT+ community. She has been recognized by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for her poetry and fiction. Her work has appeared in Sonder Midwest, and in Parallax.
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.