claws is a project in febo’s augmentation series where he develops a new artifact inspired by a preexisting poem

 I let my nails grow
and in the process became more aware of my touch
of the angle in which I hold my lovers hand
anything in reach of my fingers run the risk of getting cut
scraped
or at least be made aware of this friction

no one tells you that when you’re afraid to rub your eyes because you fear for your cornia’s safety
how much you become aware of your own animality
how that fear can transform a fist into a claw
back me up into a corner where my hairs stand their ground
I wonder what it is about power at my fingertips makes me want hunch my shoulders
raise my heels and bend my knees
square my hips and open my palms
ready to pounce

I wonder what it is about power that makes me want to use it
maybe long nails are portable daggers
maybe long nails know how to fight back in a style you’ve never trained in
maybe this is why when I went to the salon at 10 in the morning to get mine sharpened
the place was already filled with other warriors doing the same

I grew out my nails for an art project and ended up becoming one in the process
ended up becoming more aware of my hand's history
of the things they've fixed and all the things they've broken
how the fear of rubbing my eyes is not the first time I’ve been a danger to myself
how my tentative touch is as much for my skin as it is to keep the monster at bay

how this art project
of letting my nails grow for 2 months
going to the salon and getting them pointed and glazed
then casting a mold of my hands
probably won’t come out the way I imagined it would
I got lost in the steps
and in the process mistakes were made

you ever ignore the instructions and then wish you didn’t
you ever been told you shouldn’t grow your nails because your a man and ignore it anyway
I mean just look how fucking beautiful they are
and I know any response outside of
daaammmnn
is just some hater shit
and I ain’t got time for that

I’m too busy. growing