Jenna Vélez

Poetry

EVERY MARTYR A MASOCHIST​

I tear at my fingers until they bleed

Succumb to rust-filled air

Follow the ravine my sweat carved out

Spinal riverbed

My lady / Malady

Relish kissing stings

Before the rage of

Belt buckles

“Earn it,” he says

And demands worship on

Busted knees

Need me / Knead

With bloody knuckles

On unforgiven skin

Strike me

Before I change my mind

I know when to remove my shirt

And let angry men

Carve their initials in my back

Scared I’ll take the blade

One day / Take the fun out

And kill myself for them

Jenna Velez is an upcoming poet and friendly neighborhood witch from suburban Philadelphia. She tweets @northernbruja and her work can be found at jennavelez.weebly.com.