Speculum Oris – Rattle: Poetry

The Speculum Oris was a scissor-shaped instrument inserted into the mouth of a slave to force the jaws open. The crew of slave ships would force captive Africans to eat so that they couldn’t escape servitude by starving themselves to death.

the requisite tunnel

teeth in the way, tapped out

of the wailing

circle.

oris,

the weeping horn,

iron hammered thin

stretches face bone to bend,

tongue flails,

signs scream

in this cave of stunned

speech.

rusted screw pierced cheek

twist, tighten,

gums stretched bloodless.

speculum. fat flies,

not believing

their bounty, explore,

dizzied by whispers

of oat rice threads of fat.

woe is.

snap shut

all thoughts of swallow,

snaking head of possible

in the throat.

you will eat. you will

live. eat. knees scissor

and knock no

to warm water, shredded

meat. last tooth

leans, relents,

skin welds

around this

iron, becomes this

skin

around this iron

becomes this

skin