Hydration Lesson
by Nisa Malli
The monster has taken to sinking
in every available body
of liquid. It flicks the light-
switch trying to turn
the water in the dark,
naps in the dishwasher
like a cockroach, lolls its tongue
on the door frame of the bathroom, begs
for a beach day. You find it in the backyard
trying to fit its cracked
elbows in the watering can, the caulk
of its orifices flaking in summer
heat. Your once lover didn’t like
swimming but she liked watching
you show off your cold
tolerance. She knew when to leave you
damp. On date nights,
you find her steaming
the shower, broiled in
what her wife called girlfriend
preparations, the labour
of desire performed only for lovers
who could leave easily. The monster asks
if it can keep your tears
as cuticle oil, borrow your dripping
towels for bedsheets.
You leave the emergency
sprinkler on at night so it knows you
care if it’s hydrated.
ABOUT THE CREATOR
Nisa Malli is a writer and researcher, born in Winnipeg and currently living in Toronto. Her first book, Allodynia (Palimpsest Press, 2022), was long-listed for the Pat Lowther Award and the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award. Her chapbook, Remitting (Baseline Press, 2019) won the bpNichol Prize. She holds a BFA in Creative Writing from the University of Victoria and has completed residencies at the Banff Centre, and Artscape Gibraltar Point. nisamalli.com/writing