Self-Portrait as a Statue
you build me slowly piling up your soft fat lies
around me smooth and full I draw them
deep inside where they plump up my nose
fill out the curve of my mouth carve
new lines around my eyes my soft
skin solidifies in marble my breath
begins to drift away
trace me with your touch
cold still examine me
a hairline crack appears
extends along my vertebrae
preserved in white
my words float off
I wait for you to finish me
Rachel Carney is a poet, creative writing tutor and PhD student based in Cardiff, Wales. Her poems, reviews and articles have been published in magazines such as Poetry Wales, Envoi, Under the Radar and Acumen, and two of her poems have been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize.
Rough Diamond Poetry 