We held hands when we walked down the gingerbread path into the forest, blood dripping from our fingers. We danced with witches and kissed monsters. We turned us into wintergirls, when she tried to leave, I pulled her back into the snow because I was afraid to be alone.

I nod like I’m listening,like we’re communicating, and she never knows the difference.

The constitution does not recognize different classes of citizenship based on time spent living in the country. I am a citizen, with the same rights as your son, or you. As a citizen, and as a student, I am protesting the tone of this lesson as racist, intolerant, and xenophobic.

He says a million things without saying a word. I have never heard a more eloquent silence.

I inscribe three lines, hush hush hush, into my skin. Ghosts trickle out.

This is wonderful, wonderful! Be the bird. You are the bird. Sacrifice yourself to abandoned family values.

I am not going to think about it. It was ugly, but it’s over, and I’m not going to think about it.