on an easter when i still believed on the western bank of the saint clair river in a park where my father and i were setting out folding chairs just before the sunrise he in his minister’s gown was surprised that i was up so early on a sunday since i didn’t like church but…
Author: Clio
The Citadel I
I found you naked in the citadel. You were sitting on the floor, hugging your knees, your back covered in scars from the leeches that had drained your spirit. I spoke in soft tones, saying what I thought was your name. But you did not even turn your head. So I stood there in the…
the man in the mirror isn’t one
“freak” is a brick thrown through a window i can see it coming: chest expanded, eyes red, primate teeth bared it has been pulled from the foundation of the house i would not live in it was crafted from the stones of the land i have disavowed ground up and box shaped and the color…
i held my tongue
i held my tongue one too many times and now it’s run away i freed it for just a moment but it saw an opportunity and took it the last time i saw it it was in the yard digging underneath the fence by the back wall i couldn’t call out to it so i…
The Search for the Rabbit
When I was 17, I wrote a novel that got published a few years later. It wasn’t in press for very long, and then it spent a long time existing mostly in my basement (moving between several basements). Last year, I scanned it and cleaned it up a little; now I’m posting it here, in…
at the edge of the rushes
i wanted to show you what my face looked like behind the mask but i was afraid that you would turn me away just like the ones i knew when i was a child like the girls who laughed at my shows of femininity at my tears at the dolls that rocked me to sleep…
The fog
I was told to fear the darkness. I was never warned about the fog, but the fog is full of monsters waiting behind the wisps. The darkness has a name. It slips from beneath our feet and leaves us sliding down, into the abyss. The darkness tastes of anguish and smells of regret. We can…
Trans-Friendly Pronouns: An infographic
I designed this for teachers who prefer a visual summary of the key ideas on pronoun use for transgender and nonbinary students. I also have longer text-based pieces for those who want more details: Non-Binary Students; Non-Binary “They” and Style Guides; Non-Binary Students and Pronouns (Infographic last revised 5/23/21.)
tattoo on my soul
the name you gave me is a tattoo on my soul. and i know you went to the studio, thumbed through the book, debated and discussed, argued amongst yourselves: torn between the unicorn with the rose and the steampunk mermaid. i know this tattoo on my soul honors a beloved aunt that died before i…
Degendering your language: An infographic
I designed this for teachers who prefer a visual summary of the key ideas on degendering language. I also have longer text-based pieces for those who want more details: Non-Binary Students; Non-Binary “They” and Style Guides; Non-Binary Students and Pronouns. A separate issue: “Parents” can be problematic because not all of your students will have or live…