Cut Down the Tall Poppies
The world envied my tail—
elephant tusk, tiger’s pelt.
Green and heavy
and lush with sparkle.
It was the worst thing about me.
I believed them.
A documented federal disability.
Didn’t I want that green growth removed?
They made me weep
because I could not walk
when they were the ones
longing to glide through blue.
Samantha Stiers
Samantha Stiers has published work in Conjunctions, DIAGRAM, and other magazines.