11:59 P.M.--LAST SHOWER ON PAPA'S BIRTHDAY

Shower shoots its rays
of numb revival

Purging the hand
that smashed my second
love upside the head
who stole
my V-Card
the day after
Valentine’s Day

Water pricking nipples
that shivered at my
fucking poppa
for being a perv.
I want to show
how cruel the
world is, baby girl.

Stripped
I feel Father

in His forced baptism
lukewarm rays rain
against my temple
suspecting
if the Sun was God
I’ll be covered in faith
if the Water was the Devil
I’ll be covered in hate

Neighbourhood’s unreleased
record releases my wading
body six feet
under water

rusted with sex
Dove skeletons
and coarse split-ends

AUTUMN BROWN is an undergraduate student in her senior year as a Broadcast Journalism major and Fashion Merchandising minor. Formerly known as “Glenneasha Brown” up until her freshmen year of college, she assumed the pseudonym “Autumn.” The season always resonated with her because it revealed the true colors of leaves. Expressing herself creatively allows her to reveal the same truth, hence the name “Autumn”. Outside of her devotion to writing, thrift fashion is her second lover. She enjoys traveling back in time through consignment shops, while remaining in the present. In addition, Autumn dabbles in blogging, alternative music and theatre.