What have I become?
by Amanda Monterroso
Screws come loose
Robot parts lay strewn across the floor
My limbs taste of penny dust and
The way copper catches in the sun
I could trick you into thinking it’s beautiful
They stare wherever I go
At the half girl, half something else
With missing parts, a body riddled with holes
But fear not,
My crooked tooth smile and crinkle-cut eyes
Will assuage your uneasiness
Your inkling that I am something
Not quite human
My milkmaid bones creak and rattle
They strain under the weight of the sky
Isn’t it funny?
The machine felt sorry for Atlas.
As a first-year professional writing student, I feel art all around me. I’m like a painter who brushes a canvas or an orchestra playing a symphony. I string words together and hope you see the masterpiece.