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Skins / For Helena

October 23, 2019/ Anna Špirochová

SKINS

skin(s)
sparks of lust shoot from it
yet with our fingertips
we create a circle of trust
a circle of us
the misunderstanding:
it likes to behave like something it’s not
let’s bathe in it
until our fingers get wrinkled
agreement
beg
so close
our bodies join
and we become one
that only disappears in the sun


FOR HELENA

you should listen to this
you say and grab her hand
spinning her into an evening
of cherry lipsticks
candy
cigarettes
you like the way she gets lost in you
sharpening her breath
unfolding her essence
caressing her words
as if you’ve forgotten
she’s fading into the pool of your sunken imagination
but don’t get too close
she’ll run after you
showing you the night sky
singing you melodies that harmonize with your bright blue eyes
making sure you notice
how her lips curl up when she calls your name
offering her tongue as your ashtray
painting her nails in the color of your enemies
showing you the gap between love and lust
but she knows that you’ll inhale her breath
and exhale it with fire
she knows that your bony hands will clutch her heart

Anna Špirochová is currently a high school student living in Prague, Czech Republic. Besides poetry and slam, she also enjoys writing nonfiction and op-eds on various elements of today’s culture. She is the founder of a creative project called KOMPOT which consists of slam poetry recitals, local underground music, and an art exhibition from young creators.

School Lunch Archive

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Friday Lunch Blog

Friday Lunch! A serving of contemporary essays published the second Friday of every month.

Today’s course:

The Many Drafts of My (Writing) Life

September 4, 2026/in Blog / Caren McDonald
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Headshot_Caren-McDonald-scaled.jpg 2560 2048 Caren McDonald https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Caren McDonald2026-09-04 12:05:032026-09-02 15:06:55The Many Drafts of My (Writing) Life

A Love Like No Other

August 7, 2026/in Blog / Claudia Vaughan
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Headshot_Claudia-Vaughan.jpg 1641 1440 Claudia Vaughan https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Claudia Vaughan2026-08-07 12:05:092026-08-05 11:29:19A Love Like No Other

Being A Girl is Hard

November 28, 2025/in Blog / Shawn Elliott
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Headshot_Shawn-Elliott_1500x2000.jpeg 2000 1500 Shawn Elliott https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Shawn Elliott2025-11-28 11:00:252025-12-11 17:48:50Being A Girl is Hard

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Midnight Snack

Take a bite out of these late night obsessions.

Tonight’s bites:

The Lilac and The Housefly: A Tale of Tortured Romanticism

October 24, 2025/in Midnight Snack / Nikki Mae Howard
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Headshot_Nikki-Howard_1770x2000.jpg 2000 1770 Nikki Mae Howard https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Nikki Mae Howard2025-10-24 23:55:032025-10-20 10:59:03The Lilac and The Housefly: A Tale of Tortured Romanticism

Dig Into Genre

May 23, 2025/in Midnight Snack / Lauren Howard
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lauren-Howard-credit-Terril-Neely-scaled-773x1030-1.jpg 1030 773 Lauren Howard https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Lauren Howard2025-05-23 23:59:492025-06-17 18:29:02Dig Into Genre

The dreams in which I’m (not) dying

April 25, 2025/in Midnight Snack / paparouna
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/paparouna-photo.jpeg 960 720 paparouna https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png paparouna2025-04-25 23:55:312025-08-14 16:18:41The dreams in which I’m (not) dying

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Amuse-Bouche

Little bites every third Friday to whet your appetite!

Today’s plate:

Tulip Garden

August 28, 2026/in Amuse-Bouche / Cassandra Baliga
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/CassandraBaliga.jpg 640 438 Cassandra Baliga https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Cassandra Baliga2026-08-28 12:01:202026-08-10 13:01:09Tulip Garden

“Live from the 054 bus in Athens” and “Violanta Biscuit Factory Blast”

August 14, 2026/in Amuse-Bouche / Athena Melliar
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Athena.jpg 1122 688 Athena Melliar https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Athena Melliar2026-08-14 12:05:312026-08-10 12:58:55“Live from the 054 bus in Athens” and “Violanta Biscuit Factory Blast”

Till Death

May 15, 2026/in Amuse-Bouche, Translation / Lorea Canales, translated by Lia Galván
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/galvan_headshot_translator-scaled.jpg 2560 1887 Lorea Canales, translated by Lia Galván https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Lorea Canales, translated by Lia Galván2026-05-15 12:01:552026-04-30 16:34:25Till Death

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Word From the Editor

Readers,

On December 23rd, 2024, I lost a dear friend of mine, Valerie Goldstein. She was a fellow teacher and writer, and she spent her young adult life being a voice for change. Valerie had organized protests, and her dream was to get into educational policy. When I heard the news of her death, I was grief-stricken. She was so full of life and happiness, and I thought that the world had lost another good one.

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