Gracy Boes is a recent college graduate with a degree in creative writing from North Central University in Minneapolis, MN. Her work appeared twice in their literary magazine, The Wineskin. Post-grad she is staying in the Twin Cities frantically seeking a purpose that will also pay the bills. When she isn’t working or writing you can find her napping, playing D&D, or playing little ditties on her purple ukulele.

2008

it was the year of jelly bracelets and jonas brothers
we traded self-harm secrets in church bathrooms
and admired the curves puberty gave us

we confused conversation with sleep
swapped counting sheep for energy drinks
and sang love songs to the night sky

it was the year of lady gaga and malibu cokes
we tattooed boys on the insides of our eyelids
only to realize they were looking right through us

a grown man confused tears with consent
exchanged his hands for talons
and whispered corona-scented threats in our ears

ten years later he is still wrapped around our necks
like the necklaces we wore that night
chokers are in again this season