Ekphrasis for Transcestor

Abstract

Ekphrasis for Transcestor CD Eskilson (bio) after Claude Cahun's "I Am in Training, Don't Kiss Me" (1927) ________ The dumbbells here first birthed from handfulsof picked daisies, your beauty pumped and swole.Flower centers stitched to pecs and in betweenthem are the words—your warning. The petals worked towards arrival, towards your flirty twink,tightbody clearing threshold. Hearts smudged acrossyour cheek above those puckered lips, the patientwait for fruit so soon. So soon, so do not ruin it. The challenge now's conditioning the lenshere into capturing this fullness—all your lusty,transing tease. The charge to viewers takingtraces of you forward—undetermined, in-between. To see you, coy and shameless, fill this archivewith belonging. To see you confident that so soonit's all yours. Till then, the lovers wait, withholdtheir gifts, the itch to reach out, touch. So soon you'll hold a place there's never been a namefor; you know better than to let us fully in there. [End Page 60] CD Eskilson CD Eskilson is a trans poet and editor from Los Angeles. Their work appears or is forthcoming in Hobart, Pleiades, minnesota review, and they're a 2022 Best of the Net finalist. CD is assistant poetry editor at Split Lip Magazine. They are an MFA candidate at the University of Arkansas. Copyright © 2022 University of Wisconsin Board of Regents