Sapphic x3 — Gracie Donovan

Sapphic x3

Gracie Donovan

The last friday of my freshman year I took two busses to the bookstore because I knew I’d miss the city when I was back home, in Ohio.

I bought a book of Sappho’s poems the cashier asked me if I was a fan I laughed face gone hot And said I was

On the way out the door I clipped my hip on a bookcase so hard that I would later find a purple bruise but I held the pain back gritted teeth And walked onto the street

I waited for a bus that never came when the rain came thudding down in fat heavy drops slapping against the sidewalk sa-pik sa-pik sa-pik

under the awning of the gas station, I was sure everyone could hear in the heavy beat of my heart the telling rhythm sapphic sapphic sapphic