Breasts trussed
Ace bandage
Metal talons
Holding me together
Skin pierced
Chest tight
Breaths short
Heart beats against its cage
Fat molds
Muscles fold
Skin taped
Torso scraped
Binding
nipples to chest
perception to identity
Heart to soul
Broken pieces to hope
Binding
Labels to disclaimers
I wrap my heart tightly
Into a bandage marked Ace
Hoping it can fix my hardware
Believing it will heal the wounds inside my ribcage
As it cracks the bones that hold my soul
In its institution of conformity
Nyk Robertson received a Bachelor’s in English and Creative Writing from Emporia State University and is currently working on a Master’s in Gender Studies from Simmons College in Boston, MA. Nyk has recently been published in Flint Hills Review, Diverse Voices, Glitterwolf, Iris Brown, Sidelines, Sinister Wisdom, and Skin 2 Skin. Nyk has also performed at the Cantab Lounge, Lizard Lounge, and Moonlighting in Boston.