Peach

Soft and sweet 

skin fuzzed with fairy fur 

glowing low and plump 

begging to be bitten 

reach up 

yellow-tipped fingers

‘please, pluck me

bring me to your lips 

and breathe deep’

transient pleasure am I

to be devoured 

for you are a man after all 

and I am merely a peach 

take me to the basement and dissect me

peel back my blush

my firm flesh flowing with unfermented liquor 

bite in 

let my juices flow down your grizzled chin

unsatisfied 

I smile to myself as I am hastily consumed

woody core concealed in divine sweetness

lodging in your gullet for a time

getting to know the walls around 

calling them home 

shallow, splutter, swallow 

drip 

fruit fly 

flutter  

gurgle 

then a cough like a cannon blast 

fibres fleeing, flying high, birds’ eye

you now the small one

I cackle shooting skywards

marveling at my own resilience 

a hoarse word escapes you

‘CUNT.’

Bryony Moores O’Sullivan is a founding member of Chasing Cow Productions and a Theatre Practice graduate from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, who specialises in puppetry, poetry, and illustration.