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    When The Bee Stings
    When The Bee Stings
    When The Bee Stings
    Ebook148 pages59 minutes

    When The Bee Stings

    By Raquel Franco

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Divided into 4 parts, this collection journeys into the intricacies of girlhood, the bond of sisterhood, and the need for women to hold onto one another. It delves into mental health, sexism, and the depths to which we go during heartbreak.

    When The Bee Stings will take readers through loneliness and give them wisdom and inspiration to spark hope and self-love. This book was written to give women the power to take their place in this world without asking for permission.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThought Catalog Books
    Release dateMay 18, 2021
    ISBN9781949759327
    When The Bee Stings
    Author

    Raquel Franco

    Raquel Franco is a multi-racial poet of Venezuelan descent living in Ohio. She is the author of I'll Cry If I Want To and When the Bee Stings and her work has been featured in Thought Catalog and Rattle Magazine. When she is not reading, writing or keeping up with two kids she is listening to Taylor Swift.

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      Book preview

      When The Bee Stings - Raquel Franco

      When

      the

      Bee

      Stings

      Raquel Franco

      Copyright © 2021 Raquel Franco.

      All rights reserved.

      Published by Thought Catalog Books, an imprint of the digital magazine Thought Catalog, which is owned and operated by The Thought & Expression Company LLC, an independent media organization based in Brooklyn, New York and Los Angeles, California.

      This book was produced by Chris Lavergne and Noelle Beams with art direction and design by KJ Parish. Special thanks to Bianca Sparacino for creative editorial direction and Isidoros Karamitopoulos for circulation management.

      Visit us online at thoughtcatalog.com and shopcatalog.com.

      Made in the United States of America.

      ISBN 978-1-949759-32-7

      ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

      Thank you to the poetry community for always lending a helping hand, whether it be editing or reading my drafts. I wouldn’t be where I am today without you.

      To girlfriends who hold your hair back, spill the tea, and make sure you don’t do anything stupid without them. We are stronger together. Help your sisters and give eachother grace.

      To Thought Catalog for giving me the opportunity to present this collection to you in the most beautiful way. It has been a dream come true.

      To my babies, Gabriel and Penelope, who saved me.

      To God, for without Him I would be nothing.

      To you, dear reader, you are not alone in this world. It is an honor to have you here with me. Thank you for your support.

      The bee does more

      than sting.

      She builds.

      WISHING

      on

      PETER PAN

      BOYS

      I know your spine is carrying

      cracked mason jar memories

      of a boy who handed out promises

      like penny wishes in the fountain

      at the park,

      told you to just have faith

      and trust and a little bit of pixie dust

      but wishing on Peter Pan boys

      isn’t worth your neck

      hung heavy,

      isn’t worth the loss

      of your crown,

      so unfold your shoulders

      and set all your ideas of Neverland

      on fire.

      Burn

      These men,

      they fear your tongue.

      Want to slap a label

      over your mouth

      and call you mad.

      They fear your bonfire.

      Ready to use their own body

      of water to watch you drown.

      Resist.

      Keep shouting, ferocious throat.

      Keep swimming, shark bite.

      Keep fueling, tinder ready.

      Burn. Burn. Burn. Burn.

      When I Wear Red Lipstick

      I line my mouth in beeswax, oil

      courage. Press my lips together,

      lit up like The Big Apple

      painted in red.

      He tells me I look like an exit

      sign, doesn’t like when I wear

      lipstick but I never asked

      for his opinion.

      I am all prowess, Cupid’s bow,

      poison-tipped, aiming for

      his pearly white teeth.

      When I wear red

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