an autobiography
Bethany Brower
I grew up
to the sound of metallic blood ringing across my tongue
when my mind pretended it was a gnat
singing and drowning in puddles of subconscious
to the taste of late summer winds
when hurricanes rolled by to mix up the week
to the invasive buzz stroking winter maroon
when a whole family of brains also turned to gnats
I keep growing
because the gnat has such a short lifespan
when mine is approximately eighty-one years
because maroon can also be beautiful
when dressing Bradfords
on the coast in November
Bethany Brower is a fourth-year student at UNCG studying English. She hopes to be a successful author and a creative writing professor one day.