Poetry Pause is the League of Canadian Poets’ daily poetry dispatch. Read “laundry day” by Madeleine Chan.

---

laundry day

By Madeleine Chan

there is something to these teeth

that keep me from biting my breasts off

but maybe consuming them

would be easier

than putting

another bra

over them

would they be like silken tofu

at the puncture?

delicate and smooth

but flesh coming out in marbled clumps

if instead I plucked them

like cherries

would the juice stain my teeth?

would the juice taste as sweet?

there is a piece of me

that wants to dress them up

with whipped cream

only for you to lick

around the tip

feed on the fruits of your desire

but heavy as they are

carrying the weight of a gender

who would catch them first?

these fingers clawing to destroy

or your mouth clamouring to enjoy?

should I let your eyes devour them instead?

in contempt to flay?

or desire to play?

would it taste the same to you?

with a nail sharp enough to poke

fun at your gaze

looking for binary

I could slice these mounds of mozzarella

thin

but thick enough to put on my sandwich

for lunch

kill two problems with one stone

does white or rye work

best with breast?

google says sourdough

to get it down

in one go

i’ll add shavings of my uterine lining

grab an ovarian egg to fry

with a dash of pepper

on the nipple

and a pickle

speared with a tired sigh

and sink my teeth into a creation

only I could enjoy

the fruits of

which will taste something like a

rebirth of will and wants and wishes and–

the dryer rings and I pull out my binder and I am not hungry anymore.

---

Copyright © Madeleine Chan

Madeleine Chan (they/them) is a queer, non-binary, mixed race, white-passing writer settled on the stolen lands of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ speaking peoples. They love exploring the intricacies of identity, specifically the messy complexities of the in-between and ‘Other’ in relation to their own hybrid belongings. They like that little guttural “oh” feeling when they read something that resonates with them and strive to bring that same emotion to others. Find more of their work on Instagram @madeleinelyc.

---

Subscribe to Poetry Pause, or support Poetry Pause with a donation today!

---