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Malak Mattar, Untitled (detail), 2024, charcoal on paper

On the Bus

That silky
hair black

and guided
into a slim

river down
her back was

all he could
see—won

dering if she
liked to have it

pulled back
hard and then

her head
when she

was being
fucked—she, turn

ing to look up
at his face

skin tight
around his

mouth eyes
glistening

with something
ancient. Something

battered and
so ordinary.

Published: | Online 2005

Lucy Anderton

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