If you take off your face on a regular basis,
I suppose you get used to it. Your reflection
Misbehaving in the mirror is worse,
Sly when you are feeling tender,
Adorable to the one left waiting in your bed.
You’re sure your hands are the truer
Representation of your kernel-self
Than your soulless corneas, peridot irises
The work of Seurat’s apprentice. Palms
Hold and knead, slapping the holy hell
Out of you and into the world. The death-mask
Of L’inconnue de la Seine is the most-kissed;
She’s Rescusi Annie now and we’ve all tried
Breathlessly to bring her back to life. Okay?

Daisy Bassen

 

Daisy Bassen is a poet and physician who graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University’s Creative Writing Program and completed her medical training at The University of Rochester and Brown. Her work has been published in McSweeney’s and [PANK] among other journals. She lives in Rhode Island with her family.

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