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​Cymothoa Exigua, or the Tongue-Eating Louse

by Laura Bandy
Cymothea exigua extracts blood through the claws on its front, causing the tongue to atrophy from lack of blood. 

The parasite then replaces the fish's tongue by attaching its own body to the muscles of what remains. 
 -Wikipedia entry

One, the louse vampires your tongue, sucking
all the blood out until you're left with a stub, schmuck.
Two, surprise! Something alive is in your mouth, 
a small clawed body latched and playing house.
Three, this is your life now, a raw and altered state.
Those carefree ocean days are over. You've been made great. 

Laura Bandy hails from Jacksonville, Illinois, home of the Ferris Wheel.
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  • Healing Arts Chapbook No.6
  • 2022 Handley Awards
  • About
    • PCC Inscape Instagram
  • Feral Parrot : The Blog
  • INTERVIEWS
  • Inscape Alumni Board
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • ISSUE ARCHIVE
    • 2016 Fall Online
    • 2016 Sppring Online
    • 2017 Fall Online
    • 2017 Print Issue - Manifesto TOC
    • 2018 Fall Print Issue - Frankenstein TOC
    • 2018 FA Frankenstein Companion
    • 2018 Summer Online
    • 2018 Fall Folio - VOTE
    • 2018 Fall Spirituality
    • 2019 Celebrating Dia De Los Muertos
    • 2019 SPR Mental Health Companion >
      • Issue Intro
    • 2019 Fall Folio -- Moon Moon
    • 2019 Fall Folio
    • 2020 Summer Folio
    • 2020 Feb Folio
    • 2021 Feb Folio