Katie Beswick

Human Hunger
after Carolyn Forchè

Here’s the thing, when it was all finally done with, they
slopped our enemies’ organs to the floor—a wet sound, like spoiled peaches.
We pulled at rancid human hearts, tearing them in meaty halves.

You wouldn’t believe how hungry we were; rotten heart halves
landing in the curved pits of our empty bellies. They
told us it was normal; how the blood, sticky like juice from peaches,

was so sweet on our tongues. Still, we longed for real peaches.
We hadn’t eaten fruit in so long. We were like halves
of ourselves hoping food would double us. We’d done well, they

said; they said halves of Kingdoms had fallen. At home, they said, trees were heavy with peaches.

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Katie Beswick is a writer born and raised in south London, where she lives and works. Her poems have been published and are forthcoming in outlets including Harpy Hybrid, English, Orphic Review, Ink Sweat & Tears, and The Lit. Her debut pamphlet Plumstead Pram Pushers is forthcoming with Red Ogre Press in 2024. She teaches at Goldsmiths University of London. You can find out more about her work at katiebeswick.com.