Abigale Tabor

Fleshing

She dropped out to drop her panties 
every Monday and instead of a playful strip 
tease, she gives into “strip, please” and spends 
her checks on themed sets and considers 
if the ones ever really add up to worth it.

It only took her 30 days to learn to spin 
on the pole and ignore the burning skin
on her thighs that men on their lunch breaks
find to be the most appetizing—cooked so rare
one could swear they felt a pulse.

_______

There are at least 27 steps to taxidermy
a mouse. One must first acquire a mouse 
and all the tools needed to cut, gut, stuff, 
and sew it back together again. Once 
there-complete the remaining steps.

I can tell you that the mice sell them-
selves. Stuffed up and superglued 
to a pole—we named one Lola. She stuck
the signature spin pose in 30 seconds stiff
and charges customers 80 dollars minimum. 

_______

One will grow old. She’ll acquire wrinkles,
leather flesh, cheap botched Botox
treatments, and a crippling cocaine addiction 
that melts the tip of her nose down
to an upward facing snout.

One will never age. Cured 
in formaldehyde and rubbed down 
with Borax. With beads for eyes—
you would never be able to see any 
residual pain except for your reflection.

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Abigale Tabor (she/her) holds a degree in English from Flagler College. She lives in northern Florida with her fiancé and dog. Her work has been featured in Burningword Literary Journal. In addition to writing poetry, she loves to paint and bake.