The Question Marker

The Question Marker

Origin of Sin

“At 14, I will kiss a girl who knits her own history.”

Soonest Nathaniel
Nov 30, 2019
∙ Paid
Share
Origin of Sin

At age 10, I will wake,
a boy already drunk with the ashes of his father.
Eyes inebriated, yet mind still sober enough
to behold his mother
playing pranks with a needle.
Syringe to her right palm,
in her left, cotton reeking of spirit.
She divides the earth into an equator
and sticks the needle into the upper left arch.
Eyes closed in what seem like savoring the…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to The Question Marker to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 The Question Marker
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture