EDITOR’S NOTE: THESE POEMS ARE BEST READ
ON TEXT OR HORIZONTALLY ON A MOBILE DEVICE.

LAGNIAPPE

BY KD HACK

I could’ve held you / the whole night / through / the wilderness / of my body-mind / asks /
too many questions / but I am parched / & prefer / too many answers / meet me / at every
river bank / along the Mississippi / your name / a prayer / my name / a promise / your kiss / a
wish / it’s good medicine / it’s my command / teach me / something sweet / something
mother-father-auntie-grandma / tongue / I want / the knowledge / to blacken on / my tongue
/ I want / the taste / to linger / the lagniappe / of a love / freshwater / & somehow / still
molten / I molted / here / on these rocks / slippery / but not too heavy / to hold /  I will bring
them / back / to you / like precious stones / like something / we might build with / the levees
won’t break / there / the gumbo will be / glorious / & the bowls / never empty / bring your
spoons / bring your lover’s lover / bring your appetite / bottomless / as the river / where we
sent up Hail Marys / like shooting stars / fletting but full / of feeling / a feast / we won’t soon
forget.

DIOSCOREA POLYSTACHYA

BY KD HACK

Fairy 
as in 
frolick 
as in 
               lick
my faggity ass
while you’re at it 
we’re all wild
	here 
& freer
than 
they want us 
to think 
when the water 
grew 
too frigid to dip 
a toe into 
my friend 
               fluorescent 
in the finger-smudged 
mirror made 
             a man 
out of mascara 
& might 
& I might not be
convincing anyone 
but myself 
but you 
can kiss
my faggity ass 
& even my lips
while you’re at it
I promise
I won’t bite 
unless you ask
	nightly 
I wish 
for whiskers 
I whisper 
in their ear  
let me 
              come 
nearer 
let me 
             come
closer
to the fairy prince
I promised 
to be 
in the woods
where we dug
our faggity fingers
in the soil
in the seams 
making streams
across our bodies
I’d dig a grave
in the space 
	      between
your breasts 
& your	belly 
my legs melt 
into jelly
when you lick me
	       hard
enough 
this is not 
a metaphor
this is not 
a death wish
this is 
a grave 
I’m digging 
down where 
the fairy potatoes 
grow I am not 
asking 
you to 
             die 
but to be
	      reborn
beneath the soil
I’ll meet you 
down there
soon.

BLOOD MOON

BY KD HACK

KD Hack is a Queer/Trans writer, Death Doula & land steward. Their artistic practices were nourished across the Northwoods of Wisconsin, & reside in the spaces between fingers in the soil & pencils on the page. His work is featured in Peach Fuzz, Fruitslice, Querencia Press, Transfix, Tence, & Volume One, among others.