REST

Dameien Nathaniel

after Brenna Twohy’s “Colfax”

Wrapped in my comforter¹
it’s so easy to fall asleep²
knowing you’re in the next room³

  1. a lime-green cocoon pulled tight around me,
    I am trying to be the smallest thing in the room.
    The air is so hot I can barely breathe & yet I find

  2. after taking a handful of sleeping pills
    & crying for an hour.
    The Advil PM takes the sting from my cheek
    & the ache from where my elbow hit the floor
    & releases a fog over the rest of me.

  3. the resentment carries me along
    & I do not reach out for help,
    I give up on living,
    & hope you’re the one who finds me
    when I don’t wake up.

Dameien Nathaniel is a queer, trans, autistic poet from the Northeast United States. They are currently pursuing their MFA in poetry from Arcadia University with their work centering around themes of trauma, loss, mental health, and queer identity. Dameien can be found performing at open mics and slams throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts and has been invited to perform at events in Providence, Woonsocket, Newport, and Warren.