Student Discount by Mikayla Benson

 

Illustration by Tomiris Tatisheva

 

the museum is the ultimate silent orgy.
blank space filled with eroticism, pent up
Muted.
mutilated by color.
one may find it confusing that we are capable of
containing ourselves
here. in our colors and monochromatic garb.

i’m surprised every time. i enter
and not a singular person rips off their clothes.
doesn’t start kissing the acrylic.
it’s almost like a game.
Challenge!
who can last the longest.
we challenge ourselves to remain sober amongst constant fumes of desire and
pretentious tension.

there lies the metropolitan prude.
daughter. and child of september.
light-headed by black boots and snobbery.

Mikayla Gold Benson (she/her) is a 2nd year at Barnard College. She currently cannot muster the strength to write anything witty about herself, as she is too busy being too different and too complex, and too fascinating.