Poetry
How to Love
Look into God’s teeth—not Hollywood-white
veneers, but yellowed, jagged edges
that tear through your marrow’s softness—
and admit you’re still pink, still screaming,
still fumbling in the dark for anything warm
that might love you back.
None of it matters: hunger, survival,
the way the body keeps begging
for milk, for blood, for mercy.
Press your cheek to the fang,
suckle venom if you must.
Don’t go down easy,
even when you taste your own fear,
even when you’re spat out—
only smile.
Maudie Bryant
Maudie Bryant (she/her) is a Pushcart-nominated poet, multidisciplinary artist, and educator based in Shreveport, Louisiana. A graduate of the University of Louisiana Monroe (M.A. in English), she surveys the complexities of memory and identity through her work. Her writing explores the layers of human experience, uncovering the disquiet that lies just beneath the surface. Maudie's poetry has been featured or is forthcoming in Apricity Magazine, Welter, and Rathalla Review. Connect with her on Instagram at @maudiemichelle and Bluesky at @maudiemichelle.com.