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I Don’t Have Nine Lives (Runaway)
By Mallika Iyer
One night I dreamt the world, whole world
was at my window. It smelt like liberation;
the puddles called to me like a teasing playmate,
the leaves lift ed me to the sky and sang that
they’d never know I was gone.
Th e moon illuminated my mud-streaked face,
Soft fi elds of dandelions awaited my fall.
the air was cold, the night was young
the brook and trees and bats above all knew
I was not another rich child smile pinned to a billboard,
waiting to be dragged home.
Tonight, I am the dream, a hazy female fi gure
disappearing behind buildings for an extra dollar,
illuminated by the gaslights, immortalized by strangers;
still thinking up excuses for my unfi nished homework
and wet earth in my hair,
exhaling snakes of smoke and the breath of each bait,
I am a princess.
magus ~ 78 ~ mabus