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"Examining A Soul Through A Cracked Mirror & Other Poems" by Laken Flanagan

---

i peered through the veil of consciousness

and peeled away another layer of awareness

from my multi-faceted personality

can self-revelations breed narcissism

turns out I'm a hypocrite who swears

in public but cant fathom the notion

of tainting a piece of pretty poetry

with words my uncouth mother

used to christen my childhood

walking the double-edged sword 

of authenticity and social fraudulence

can i be authentic without bearing

every subjective truth that makes up my soul

fuck if i know

---

"I Have A Demon" by Laken Flanagan

And her name is Elle. 

I keep her

Caged 

In the deepest 

Darkest 

Dampest

Recesses of my mind 

Where she can’t

Mesmerize me 

Into doing her 

Bidding.

Numbness is my sacrifice

A small 

Price to keep her 

Captivating rage

At bay. 

I’ll never be free 

But

I’ll never be

Alone. 

Sometimes I have to sedate her.

Try to educate her, cultivate her–

Too much will just irritate her

And then her veiled whispers will seep

Into my thoughts so naturally they’ll

Blur together to the point that 

I won’t know which version 

Of myself will come

Out to say

Hello.