Bryanna Licciardi
Dream About a Gigantic, Me-Obsessed Octopus
still felt ghost prints
of tentacles
around my wrists
before its love-grip
grew back into
my carpal tunnel
the bed is a dark tunnel
and I forget which way is out
venom calls to my body
but these sheets are not waves
their love reminds me of
the many ways to be small
next time I am
camouflaged by sleep
I will ask again
for dreams of a giant thing
that wants me
Bryanna Licciardi is an educator and writer, with an MFA in poetry and a doctorate in education. She’s the author of poetry chapbook Skin Splitting (Finishing Line Press, 2017) and a forthcoming full-length collection, Fish Love (Alternating Current Press, December 2023). When not teaching, her favorite roles include cat mom and technical supporter for a local reading series, Poetry in the Boro. You can find her work in journals such as Poetry Quarterly, BlazeVOX, Peacock Journal, and Cleaver Magazine. Or just check out her website at www.bryannalicciardi.com.