share


Bad Daughters

After Frannie Choi

 

leaving, good daughters staying home with the light switched on. bad daughters find

god in the pulpit of a man, lay their ear to his chest and listen to the hum of his

holy spirit. good daughters wash the dishes, bad daughters wash in rivers under

an unfolding moon, dance as the silver splits their skin. bad daughters sip

and then gulp and then swallow, good daughters smile without show-

ing teeth bad daughters pick at the skin around their thumbs

praying the loose end will keep unravelling, bad daughters

fray, only when they are alone, especially when they

know god is not listening, good daughters ask

for permission and forgiveness, bad daugh-

ters take what is there, swear

they’ll never do it again,

promise to be better

in the morning.


ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR

is a Brit(ish) poet, born to a Jamaican mother and a Nigerian father. Based in South London, Lola uses her work to explore blackness, family, and loss. Lola is currently a member of Griot’s Well, is an alumn of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective and Barbican Young Poets, and was a finalist in the 2021 Roundhouse Poetry Slam.



READ NEXT

feature

September 2013

To Sing the Love of Danger

Adnan Sarwar

feature

September 2013

The Gulf War made my first year at Towneley High School uncomfortable. White lads taunted us Pakistanis with pictures...

Prize Entry

Issue No. 17

Grace

Sophie Mackintosh

Prize Entry

Issue No. 17

14. It comes for me in the middle of the day when I am preparing lunch, quartering a tomato...

Interview

Issue No. 2

Interview with Richard Wentworth

Ben Eastham

Interview

Issue No. 2

Richard Wentworth is among the most influential artists alive in Britain. He emerged in the 1970s as part of...

 

Get our newsletter

 

* indicates required