Black Swan
Nicky Beltre
my mother had always told me my feathers were too loud
“a pretty pen plucks her plumage just enough” she’d say
burning them back to the way they were in the morning,
twisting it up into her favorite spiral display
sending me to tame the fowl inside
with only pictures of crystal blue waters
and a prima-promise of the proper bird
but I flew anyways
the eye grabbing span of my skill
blowing opportunity out of the water
letting my sweat soar off me
as the proof of my belonging
as a bird
of the flock
my tondu
sharp and direct
paint off my pointe shoes gracing your marley
a signature of us black swans
breaking in
to your box
and re-claiming art
built from me
All 7 sins rippling off your pond
the Pride, Wrath,
Lust
that you rub deep into my back
That black swan
I am, shameless
Jezebel
stealing the beauty from your lake
the prince feeling a fantastical promise
from my pirouettes
at ball’s edge
Informing your audience of my presence