Stomach, Sugarcoated
Ellen Huang

Witches curse each other too.
Thus I was bestowed with blindness
Never to tell one sweet from another
And to take all senses of the word
Quite absolutely literally.

Do not show me a kindness
Or within me will grow hunger
The walls of gingerbread keep ghosts in old pictures
The frames of peppermint streak with tears from tender moments
You crumble before me into apple crisps
You extend a hand and I see pretzel sticks.

I tell the children this, do not get close to me
I will eat you up to regain my privacy
Perhaps someday they’ll learn,
Perhaps someday I’ll stop
Having nightmares from eating that cherry on top.