bruised citrus - james roach

originally appears in ouch! collective

Before he was bones, 

he peeled oranges

against the blare of baseball

on the living room tv. 

We will never truly know

his recipe for deviled eggs

or protecting the bruises

given by grandma’s unkind tongue

letting him know

nothing was ever good enough. 

James Roach (they/he) is a queer, trans, sober poet most creative between the hours of up-too-late and is it even worth going to bed? He currently lives in St. Louis.