Possession

Again, my mother climbs into my mouth.
Not her voice.
Something older than that,
a tightening at one corner,
  a small hooked motion
  drawing the face toward judgment
  before the thought has fully formed.
Outside, rain bends the peonies low.
Inside, the mirror gathers shadows
  beneath my cheekbones.
The expression arrives first.
The occasion follows.
A habit of the flesh.
A way of holding disappointment
  so tightly
  it acquires a gleam.
I touch my lip.
The shape retreats
  but does not disappear.
It waits lower down,
coiled beneath speech,
a fishhook swallowed years ago,
working itself forward
  whenever the tongue grows tired.

Regine Jackson

Regine Jackson is a poet and writer whose work spans poetry, memoir, and fiction. She was named the Straw Dog Writers Guild Emerging Writer Fellow in 2022, and her writing has appeared in Meat for Tea: The Valley Review, Thimble Literary Magazine, the 2024 Massachusetts Bards Poetry Anthology, Pán•o•ply: Inaugural MultiCreative Anthology, and B’K Lit Mag, among other publications. Her work explores identity and spirituality through memory and transformation. Jackson’s poetry often leans toward surreal and metaphysical imagery, while her fiction reflects an interest in horror and speculative storytelling. She is especially interested in the inner life and experiences that shift toward the strange or transcendent. She founded The Flimsy Quill, a literary initiative focused on readings and workshops. Find her at reginejackson.com and @theflimsyquill.