Shapezoids
by Anastacia Tolbert 

what if people were shapes
squares, circles & especially triangles
angular pinnacles sounding off like thumped thimbles
inside an open space of pyramid & geometry
what if the equation were simple & you
were either/neither kite or cracker or apple or toast or bagel
& no one cared if you fit
snuggly inside a toaster & all the octagons
never stopped believing a mere trapezoid
could save you with the very silhouette of her exhale.

Anastacia Tolbert is a multifarious mix of grit, sunshine, alphabet juice & butterflies getting rooted in Japan. She is a writer of poetry, prose, plays, and journalism. She wrote, co-produced and co-directed GOTBREAST?, a documentary about women and body image. Tolbert is a Cave Canem Fellow, Hedgebrook Alumna, EDGE Professional Writers Alum, and VONA Alum. Her poetry, fiction, nonfiction has been published widely. More about her work can be found at www.anastaciatolbert.com