[Poetry] / \

Read the second-place entry for our week of May 4 contest, Write What You Want

/ \
by Krista Carson

last week i heard / those angry lines / between my brows / are called “the elevens” / at botox clinics / that give out lemon water / in the lobby // now bare sunlight / bolder than ever / catches in the morning mess / of my hair // strands—lines— / like wavy stems / of nasturtium / decisive in their wayward attempt / shine strawberry, flaxen, copper, golden, wheat / and icy white / not new / (except to my notice) / timely too // i gather and plait / and conjure a word on my lips— / oeuvre— / a body / of work— / life work / (not french for “egg” nor “open”) / and i // —a muse-drunk pilgrim / on the threshold / of a new decade— // squint / and accept the invitation / the call of the 40 odd lines / on my page

A Note From Our Guest Judge, Dennis James Sweeney

The “angry lines” this poem starts with—and that give it its pictographic title—develop into a brightly lit meditation on the surface of aging, which then reveal its subtle depths. The poem keeps renewing itself (I love “a muse-drink pilgrim”) while also circling back around to the “lines” at the end. “/ \” is a beautiful sequence of “lines” of language separate by the “lines” of slashes, all focused on the “lines” of our years.

About Krista Carson

Krista Carson writes poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction, often exploring nature/culture themes. She is pursuing a PhD at the University of Gloucestershire. Her work has recently appeared in Motherlore, SWAMP, and Synkroniciti, with more publications forthcoming. Krista teaches part-time at the post-secondary level, and she lives in London, Ontario with her husband, daughter, and whippet. Website: www.kristacarson.com // Substack: @kristacarsonwrites

This piece was written in response to the prompt Write What You Want.