Juliet Cook

TEST KITCHEN

the connective tissue rips, the beaver pigs out, bone
spurs fly, electric beater frisks bloody pulp into pink
chiffon filling some delicate new dessert product

or maybe delicate isn’t quite the right word for this
pulverized pussy footing across a tile floor texturized
like lemon squares drizzled with personal lubricant

which he’s never used for pleasure in his
“real life” but this is the “test kitchen” it makes a sound
like how anal electrocution sometimes leads to mink coat

sure it will start shaky, she’ll wobble a little on her stilt
like high heels at first, but then she’ll start walking, cat
walking away from the crime scene’s furry little carcass

shaved clean, erase all stray marks completely or else
a delay in processing the answer sheet; put your #2
pencil in the hole; it’s not called a cake-hole for nothing

snatch of devil’s food batter, multiple choice attack:
(a) If she didn’t want to take off her dress, why did she do that?
(b) In “real life”, she’s a “real woman” and who wants that?
(c) what might she subject herself to just to be wanted?

(d) all of the above plus stupid bitch fucking sandwich
spread he had always suspected her skin
looked like pimento loaf underneath, he knew

the finger vibe wouldn’t be strong enough for that slut
she’s either a real woman or she’s too pulpy, can’t balance
on that stilt anymore, all of the whore holes are already filled

none of the above was never one of the choices




(note: the italicized line was borrowed from poet Mairéad Byrne, with her permission)

Juliet Cook’s poetry has recently been published or is forthcoming in Abjective, Action Yes, Diagram, Diode, Oranges & Sardines, Robot Melon and many other online and print sources. She is the editor of Blood Pudding Press and Thirteen Myna Birds. She is author of numerous chapbooks, most recently including PINK LEOTARD & SHOCK COLLAR (Spooky Girlfriend Press), Tongue Like a Stinger (Wheelhouse), and FONDANT PIG ANGST (Slash Pine Press). Her first full-length poetry collection, Horrific Confection, was published by BlazeVOX in 2008. For more information, feel free to visit her website at http://www.julietcook.weebly.com/.