discovery by Jenna Nesky (16, Maryland)*

I know of nothing more inspiring than 
that of making discoveries for ones self. 
--George Washington Carver 

​
how can i speak with ten voices / at once, become 
      a billion / bodies bridged into the ground like salt / discover
     myself twice / first as my name / then as consonants ​

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dangling like locusts’ feet / unafraid / as a bandaged scar / torn
     across my mouth / like morning tides / milk-pale, fluttering /
     feather-green fingertips / autistic and hidden 

inside / the afternoon, wilted into a thousand / eyes, 
     a daydream / trying to steam its way out / pleating in on itself /
     fists plucking / tendons, extracting the pulse / the distance 

between, accelerated / like vernacular / syllables perfused / on my
     lips / frozen into wings of orbit / reciting infinitudes / folded into
     water, a hook / i reach / i reach / i reach /​