share


Bad Daughters

After Frannie Choi

 

leaving, good daughters staying home with the light switched on. bad daughters find

god in the pulpit of a man, lay their ear to his chest and listen to the hum of his

holy spirit. good daughters wash the dishes, bad daughters wash in rivers under

an unfolding moon, dance as the silver splits their skin. bad daughters sip

and then gulp and then swallow, good daughters smile without show-

ing teeth bad daughters pick at the skin around their thumbs

praying the loose end will keep unravelling, bad daughters

fray, only when they are alone, especially when they

know god is not listening, good daughters ask

for permission and forgiveness, bad daugh-

ters take what is there, swear

they’ll never do it again,

promise to be better

in the morning.


ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

is a Brit(ish) poet, born to a Jamaican mother and a Nigerian father. Based in South London, Lola uses her work to explore blackness, family, and loss. Lola is currently a member of Griot’s Well, is an alumn of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective and Barbican Young Poets, and was a finalist in the 2021 Roundhouse Poetry Slam.



READ NEXT

feature

Issue No. 4

Tibetan Kitsch

Evan Harris

feature

Issue No. 4

I first glimpsed the Potala Palace behind the bending legs of a prostitute. She swayed, obscuring a vista of...

feature

November 2013

I Can’t Stop Thinking Through What Other People Are Thinking

David Shields

feature

November 2013

Originally, feathers evolved to retain heat; later, they were repurposed for a means of flight. No one ever accuses...

poetry

January 2015

My Beloved Uncles

Tove Jansson

TR. Thomas Teal

poetry

January 2015

However tired of each other they must have grown from time to time, there was always great solidarity among...

 

Get our newsletter

 

* indicates required