midnight i turn twenty three boohoo
clutch the thick champagne neck throw it down
college party like
but it’s just me in my sad square room
how sad let’s go outside into the drizzle somehow
that feels less sad buzzing definitely
now somehow
down the elevator stepping silly into the park
stone slump officer asks are you okay
swig another of course i am alright then have
a good night yes you too goodbye
sigh. how did i drink that so quickly and
why am i sobbing again sigh. sigh. sigh
why i can’t have nice things if my teacher knew
where her gift was headed into my dumb head
glad i wore my most comfortable black joggers
out, right because i left in my pajamas oops
feels like a friday and i want to eat
cake but that would be highly irresponsible
wouldn’t it? be better to trail home instead
but reluctant unsure why somehow
door, bed, flat, sigh. don’t know it yet but
in the cakeless slow frenzy of the party
accumulated a ring of bites that pus
me into the clinic next morning. happy
anklet birthday, everlasting love and
rain and bugs and champagne, happy
birthday happy birthday to me!
***
Favorite Drink: first beer that catches my eye; likely a stout or porter
***
Emily Liu spends lots of time dissociating, writing long sentences, scrolling down Wikipedia pages, and wishing she were a better driver. Her poems appear or are forthcoming in Gone Lawn, Poetry Lab Shanghai, and Red Ogre Review.
***
image: Ashley Beresch. Check out more of her work on Instagram @ashleyberesch
Rejection Letters 