Katie Longofono
The Virus Writes a Short Story
|
Tark e-mails a 32 page document written in Jersey
he wants me to read it I’m the only writer he knows – somebody told him there’s a problem with women in the story but he fixed it. There is a problem with women in the story. I print out a copy mark it red comments like are you certain this is not a stereotype? and awkward. He still invites me to his apartment we smoke on the balcony he presses up behind me I know he’s there before he’s at my neck glasses scraping my cheek he has a hard on through his chinos and he hasn’t even gotten to my lips. Tark turns me around and puts both hands on the railing behind me, thrusts his head like a chicken I let him peck me he holds my head the way I like it he is not a bad kisser I don’t mind when he pushes me onto the plastic lounge chair squeak and shudder so we go to the couch where he twists toward me and reaches hungry for my dress don’t rip it I was going to say but then I remember o yea wait Tark before we go any further you should know about The Virus we are very stoned he is quiet for a long time he pulls back moves to the next couch cushion holds his head the way I like it I don’t know what to say I don’t think I’m ready to be that open he says this in several different ways the angle of his knees away from my body the deflated tent of his crotch the guitar he thrills his fingers over the volume dialed up Tark wants to fuck me but not like that there is a problem with women in this story – |
KATIE LONGOFONO received her MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, where she directed the 2014 SLC Poetry Festival. She is the co-founder of Dead Rabbits Reading Series, a monthly literary salon that takes place in NYC. Her first chapbook, The Angel of Sex, was published by Dancing Girl Press in 2013. Her chapbook Angeltits is forthcoming from Sundress Publications. Her work has appeared in or is forthcoming from Tinderbox Poetry Journal, BOAAT, South Dakota Review, Juked, Midwestern Gothic, and more. She may or may not be on Twitter. She lives in Brooklyn.
|