In the Woods in Conway
Jennifer Pieroni

I learned by kicking that any oozing log keeps salamanders; I learned all of the lyrics to “Hey Ladies”; that girls drink cinnamon vodka with gold flecks in it and boys have whatever; dirt bikes you hear in the distance will not necessarily come to you; personal style should always reflect pain, whether with eyeliner or safety pins pricked aesthetically; lighters give small explosions when whipped from high perches; not to ever again even glance at another girl undressing; that there are other meanings, dirty meanings, for everyday words and I had been using them all along not knowing; when asked a direct question it is far easier to not give a direct answer; pepper or laundry detergent is the taste of most sex; caked mud on a butt and a body when dry peels off clean; that a ripple on the pond means leeches are swarming.


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