top of page

ONLINE ISSUE

THE DAY I CUT MY NAILS

By: Jennifer Choi

JANUARY 2025 ISSUE

POETRY

 
AI photo of a heart in a discombobulated apartment complex.
<a href="https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos/nails-manicure">Nails Manicure Stock photos by Vecteezy</a>

The back of the universe glows faintly, the forecast says cloudy.

Light spills through the gaps in the clouds,

& within it, there must be whispers from galaxies billions of light-years away.

Like a trace of cream left on my lips, the clouds scatter,

& the forecast is a lie. Today,

I’ll buy a nail clipper for one dollar.


From the moment I was born, my nails were strong.

Like everyone’s, but more precisely,

they were the outer layer of me.

Since I was young, all I learned was how to cut them,

never imagining I’d water them, or sing to them softly

like my mother cared for the flowers.



It felt as though I had to choose

between being the troublemaker

or the perfect child,

but I was a model only in not fitting into either.

& so, according to the nails,

I was nothing but their outside.


Today, the back of the universe continues to glow.

You coat your nails with polish, while I clip mine.

We throw away what’s needed for hygiene, & keep what we desire,

but the thick growth on our fingers remains indifferent to either side.

I only think of the nails tossed into the tissue, the weather, & myself.

The discarded nails always smile faintly.


 

JENNIFER CHOI


For more information:

House of Grief

House of Grief

 
Previous Next


3 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating

Join our mailing list

© 2021 by KAYTELL Publishing

bottom of page