Poem by Zane Yinger

My Hunger is Real
 
My hands itch 
With the want to tear into a fresh loaf 
To have nose tickled by the warm yeasty steam 
 
My hands itch 
With the want to peel the rind from an orange 
And feel its succulent lobes part under my teeth 
Sour sticky juices dripping from my chin 
 
The nail of my finger scrapes into the fleshy pad of my thumb
Anxiously sniffing and searching my empty hands 
 
My guts ache and roll like anguished worms 
I try to breathe, though my eyes go glassy 
As I choke on empty pain 
 
A passing man offers me a magazine
Promising hot gossip and tantalizing entries 
 
How dare the world offer me brain candy 
Whilst my knotted stomach threatens to eat itself into nothingness 
Like an ancient snake 
 
I want real candy 
For my real stomach

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Zane is a 2nd year college student studying botany and Spanish. They are an artist and newfound poet. They hope to use their art as a platform to communicate and share real struggles and experiences.

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