Wish by Naoise Gale

I would like to lock the doors to my
Lungs and breathe out all my smoke
In one shadowy breath, I would like

White roses and tramadol to numb
The garroting, I would like to lie
Coffin-ready next to your grave with

My eyes on the sun and nothing
Passing above me, I would like
lanugo and ivy to overrun this

wretched body, I would like to press
my hips into one thin pill, illegal-
white, I would like to hold your

hand and say it is okay, okay, okay:
we are all broken keys.

Naoise Gale is an autistic and bipolar poet who writes about mental illness, addiction and eating disorders. She has been or is due to be published by Cephalo Press, Anti Heroin Chic, Rabid Oak, Versification, Glitchwords and The Augment Review. She was runner up in the Parkinson’s Art Poetry Competition 2020, and commended in the Poetry Space Competition 2020.