Introducing a new piece of writing to the world can be a mixed experience. Some parts joy, some parts anxiety. Though writing what scares you may be the goal, that doesn’t account for the risks involved in letting that piece exist in the world without you. “Troll” is the title poem from my current full-length manuscript in progress. This fifteen page poem has taken me years to write and guts to finish. I’m grateful to Carissa Halston, Randolph Pfaff, and the editorial team at apt for believing in this piece and helping me introduce it to the world. Please support indie press and this fantastic magazine by pre-ordering Issue 8 for $10 here.

In the meantime, here is a glimpse into “Troll”:

1.

The troll says set a fire.

We man the field—carcass of a rat snake,
 mound of rotten leaves, a landscape ready
 to be tagged with tits & ass.

A portal suggests the body
 got away. Run, body, run.

But we fail: the troll wants a body to burn
 for flames to lick at every surface.

The trolls wants us entangled in the terror
 so that once she’s wilted down
 to ash & thread he can take us with him
 when he turns from that town square

to laugh & laugh & laugh
 
...

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