Poems by Josefine Petersén

“soap”
             By Josefine Petersén

my hands smell like pig
i've washed them over and over
no amount of water and soap can erase you off my skin

tonight i bore witness

big steel trucks stuffed with pigs
you breathe, almost, still
never felt the warmth of a human
you were scared

tonight i sang to you

hours and days without water or food
moments away from a brutal death
our souls mingled
a glimpse of time that will always be ours
caressing you, loving you

coarse hair on your trembling body
tonight i met you
they won't let your body be yours
sweetheart
they won't let your life be yours

tonight
i said goodbye to you


“conversations with the condemned”
             By Josefine Petersén

in the dark | in the dark
i see you | i see you
i’m sorry what you’re going through | you're sorry what i’m going through

in the dark | in the dark
i feel you | i feel you
can’t imagine what you’re going through | don’t imagine what i’m going through

your body not yours | my body not mine
never gonna be years | will never feel the sun
souls ignored | my soul’s ignored
for profit | i’m scared
for profit | i’m scared

warm and alive | warm and alive
barely | barely
you fight | i fight
you cry | i cry
you breathe | i breathe
you try | i wanna live

in the dark | in the dark
you see me | i see you
asking me what’s going on | wondering what’s going on

in the dark | in the dark
you feel me | i feel you
wishing me to right what’s wrong | whatever did i do so wrong

in the dark | in the dark
you’re taken | i’m taken
to a place where you’ll become a song | to a place where hell begins, i’m gone

- Josefine Petersén is a Swede who got lost among palm trees and dreams in sunny Los Angeles. Her poetry and short stories have been published in several online journals over the years. Vegan for almost five years, she lives with her cat and dog on a street lined with citrus trees.

 Copyright©2021 by Josefine Petersén. All Rights Reserved.