clouds dim in the lake
like my irises—insignificant—

and i don’t know how to live
without an ethereal countryside

to cloak myself. strip me
of an identity, and i will beg

you to call me by my name.

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tommy blake (he/they) is the author of lacuna, Trick Mirror or Your Computer Screen, and others. His full-length collection is debuting with Bullshit Lit in 2023. Find them on Twitter: @rachaelapoet.