asses
boys were laughing after
he joked about asses after
he ran out of the room
I was left on a king size bed after
plunging pain still pulsing up my core
he threw me turned over coming down after
pinched my hips tight with one hand
doused my asshole in lube with the other after
drunkenly plopped my drunken self
falling into the room after
taking jello shots, twisting tongues
enough to create catcallers after
i told him i loved him, he said me too
to help prevent further cheating after
i punched him in the ribs when he said he
would do whatever he wanted, me crying after
realizing toxicity delivers more pain than change after
listen, sweet children, you must stop this cycle after
indiana(polis)
after Tim Dlugos’s ALLENTOWN
sleeping to
sunshine and
still being
stoned and
trying to
stay virginal before
sundown comes
KRISTINE ESSER SLENTZ is originally from northwest Indiana and the Chicagoland area, or what’s lovingly called “The Region.” Kristine is a Purdue University alum who studied English literature and creative writing. Currently, Kristine is earning her MFA in creative writing (poetry) at City College of New York. She is also the Assistant Editor for the online poetry publication Unfold Magazine and the Features Manager for The Speakeasy Project. Her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Yes Poetry, Philosophical Idiot, and then Flying Island Journal where she was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2017.