Three Poems by Tianna G. Hansen
linger
hold me tight / as you sleep / keep me from slipping / away,
more ghost than woman / a haunting to linger / energy trapped
in each delicate moment / these spirits possess me
even the tightest grip / can’t keep me away / from a bottle of
whiskey / I no longer resist the urge / disappear & fade
into the black-lit evening / desert mirage
[I was never here at all.]
this dark thing I
this dark thing floats inside me
a lightbulb begging to be
flicked on; a switch activating
like a werewolf to the full moon
like the northern lights to staring eyes
to me, this dark thing sleeps. it
stirs up inside, whirlwinds
reaching fingers take me under
hold my head down below water.
why do I always feel like I am
on the verge of drowning?
like there is never enough air
to gulp deep into my lungs,
hold steady and suck deep
refilling my body with beauty
in each full breath, why do I
turn toward darkness instead of
turning my face into the light?
Maleficent
I’ve transformed this skin into scales
a mighty dragon / begging to be unleashed
fire brimming in my belly / hot, fierce.
I’ve kept these words locked inside my throat
so long they’ve become brimstone / ignited
by my passion to break the bonds of silence
chaining my flickering tongue in place.
I grow to the height of many buildings / castles
with pointed tips / grazing a darkened sky
ripping a hole in the canvas of night,
darkness / no longer holds me captive
from my mouth bursts magnificent flame
I will never hold back the yearning to speak
again.
Tianna G. Hansen has been writing her whole life, born in the desert but now thriving in the woodlands of PA. She founded and is EIC of Rhythm & Bones Press, focused on turning trauma into art. Her debut poetry collection Undone, Still Whole explores how trauma survivors can reclaim their bodies, channeling the power of goddesses and witchcraft to heal. Tianna is also part of a three-poet opera A Victorian Dollhousing Ceremony where she takes on the role of The Firebird. Find more of her published work at creativetianna.com or follow her on Twitter @tiannag92.