Origami

You folded secrets into me back then
Like my skin was a safe
Place to keep torture. Your best friend
Hits his girlfriend every now and then
Your sister hasn’t been to Thanksgiving
Since the baby and the boyfriend and you
Blow smoke to shield the pills that you chase
With cheap booze and self-righteousness,
But then
You remake me
As a paper girl,
An envelope of fairytale endings, or Bible
Verses, or love letters to the death
Of an almost.

Autumn Kepley is an artist, writer, and educator located in Wilmington, North Carolina. Autumn aims to capture life through color, storytelling, and symbolism in every medium and experience. She writes for the same reason that most people breathe—because it is absolutely necessary.