That Autumn Taught Me

That autumn taught me to gather

the godforsaken heterosexuality

out of myself

pour it right down the drain

flip the switch

watch the metal teeth

crunch bits of me up

and choke them down

That autumn taught me to scrub

my skin

clean

pink and new

squeeze the words and water

out of my hair

and wrap myself up in the cloth

of self love

That autumn taught me to let

those golden words out

drip them off of my tongue

slow and sweet

and hang them out to dry

I'm gay