33 Coast Road

By Christina Hennemann

i.
Under this waxing crescent I peel my skin, shave
one armpit and not the other, smoothen shins,
sharpen knees, bleach the mole boasting quills
I wear in place of a ring— I’m Chimera,
she-monster birthed from dermis and dusk.

ii.
The sky’s night-blue pours colour into my eyes,
with serpent tail I move the waves as puppeteer,
salty splash all over the pier and crawling uphill,
on clacking hooves I strut down and bolt the door,
Jupiter’s wandering in a moonlit gown.

iii.
Planetary trialogue: one clear-cut conjunction
of celestial spheres doesn’t make a femme fatale,
Venus slipped from her shell slick as untouched, rip
my furs off and tie my mane— before the tide breaks in
I want to be clean.

Audio recording of ’33 Coast Road’, written and read by Christina Henneman

Christina Hennemann

Christina Hennemann is a poet and prose writer based in Ireland. Her debut poetry pamphlet was published by Sunday Mornings at the River in 2022. She won the Luain Press Poetry Competition, was shortlisted in the Anthology Poetry Award and longlisted in the National Poetry Competition. Her work appears in The Moth, fifth wheel, Ink Sweat & Tears, Moria, Anti-
Heroin Chic, and elsewhere. She is currently working on a full-length poetry collection.

www.christinahennemann.com

Tip the Author