Artwork © Rayn Roberts

 

The Red Marker

Last night I sat down
with two pieces of paper
one was a picture of me

the other a map
of all the places I had been

I took my red marker
and scored a line down every street
I walked and felt unsafe

then I circled every part of my body
that had been touched without my permission

both pages glowed crimson
like embers of a fire gone out

this morning i burned them
and spat the flames
from my charred lips

 

Rosie Shooter was born in south London, her poetry reflects on freedom, grief, love, death and what it means to be a woman living in London.

Rayn Roberts lives in Oregon where he writes poetry & creates digital art .