mishandled yeast infections and other character flaws.

By L.C. Evans.

i dig a creek in my backyard and sit in it. i dump in baking soda / and some tea tree oil. i try to take off my dress and / the wet silk tears as i pull it over my shoulders.

Artwork by Javier Ruiz Perez.

i dig a creek in my backyard and sit in it. i dump in baking soda

and some tea tree oil. i try to take off my dress and

the wet silk tears as i pull it over my shoulders. my clothes always end up like this:

in shreds. meanwhile, my hair is too short and thin to cover the burning mess;

smoke seeps from all gaps and clings sticky to my back.

 

in the midst of the smoulder, i disavow all acrylic nails and howl

for duller days. according to the internet,

homeopathic remedies will not fix the situation.

according to the internet, watched dough never rises. fidgeting,

i choose not to listen, drown myself in long skirts

and no underwear underneath, cross my fingers

for the wind to blow the infection away. this trailer-park curse,

 

this ancient floury malady. latch-legged, i sit in silence,

ask for redemption in the form 

of a clean kitchen. latch-legged, i face the window,

ask the sun to burn me a poultice. latch-legged,

i salute my habit of giving absolutely nothing

and expecting absolutely everything in return.

The Blood Pudding – September 27, 2021

L.C. Evans is an undergrad chipping away at a creative writing major. She can be found reading, writing, and teetering around the Bay Area on roller skates. 

Artwork: Javier Ruiz Perez is an emerging contemporary artist from Spain. Without framing his protagonists in any social context, Pérez explores the pure human condition, leaving the viewer to observe the innate human psychology without any enhancing elements. Pérez builds images on a paradoxical dichotomy between dreams and reality, creating a personalized space for his characters by juxtaposing mundane scenes of modern life with blissful landscapes. You can find his work here.