Farrah Fang

The State of Texas vs The Trans Woman

Houston is brimming
with hood philosophies
curandera blessings and such
              but you are experiment
              you are the target
              and Texan propaganda
              is the scalpel and gun
                             who are they to debate
                             if you exist
                             or do not exist

Your home is harina, your body is several tortillas
Its eviction notices and disconnection letters
Its the kitchen table turned into an operating table
Its familia dissecting the queer kid before she knows who she is
              the invader is unmasked by
              tíos using screws and shattered bottles
              as if you were a frog or cadaver
                            as if you were theirs
                            to open and reshape

The government announces your verdict
              that you don’t deserve rights
              that you are to be divorced from your wings
              sentenced to less than a human
              to be trampled over until your sediment
              disappears into the earth

They all question why you always write about
the body, politics and being a transsexual
              porque no me queda nada más
              and if I did, it would all guzzle to the sewers
              to Galveston to the Gulf of Mexico

You are disillusioned with being
              misread
              itemized as other
                            NO, THAT’S NOT MY NAME!
                            but this land is not for patient eyes
                            this police state is only bile and blood

You would do well to never forget
who the real enemies are
              never forget
              the weapons
              they used to
              snipe you
              midflight