Swingline the box of staples is ancient, edges softened with ageblue ink logo faded like dreams, and yet, it sustains its function to contain. long strips of thin metal teeth shinyready, proud patiently awaiting the swift light in being taken re-inserted, to be pressed and make permanent a holdingof things, to together items, to uphold… Continue reading POEM A DAY – March 7
POEM A DAY – March 6
Last night, we started the first of our six-week poetry feedback class. Clearly our sharing infiltrated my dreams...with thanks to Erika, Krithica, Mariette, Robyn, Janet and Cassie. After Poetry Class, Last Night’s Dream iridescent-skinned bugs with wings and pinchersbite my calf, distracting me from Tom Cruise’s lips. the tight pain cue me to more danger:… Continue reading POEM A DAY – March 6
POEM A DAY – March 5
Tonka Truck I saved up my allowance(wrinkled grey and white onescrisp pink and red twos…wishing fora brisk blue five) and yearned forgarage-sale saturdays, for usednovels, torn-cornered and spinecrusted, for Barbie clothes and singleplastic white heels with the toesteeth-marked, for marbles and micro-machines, for slinkies and stickers:I wasn’t looking for the truck. Bright yellow metal, as… Continue reading POEM A DAY – March 5
POEM A DAY – March 4
*Gentle Warning:There is an expletive in this poem. Its contents describe a panic attack. panikattack in Ikea. my body undoing in the doing of buying, in the doing of being daughter-side, too many people, too many things, too much ‘this is how to live in spaces with things’, the lights daggering, my eyes double-visioning, lost… Continue reading POEM A DAY – March 4
VANESSA SHIELDS 