This page was created by Anonymous. 

Spring 2023

Anja Hemesath, "fill my room with lovely things" [Poem]

awake—eyes open—staring at their surroundings
old memories—fill the—new to me               edges
furniture people memories
objects once present—replaced                      after a blink

walls not blank—decorated scrapes muffling
shuffled animalistic sounds        pictures
cover the scratches                     peel back the first layer to
reveal frosted lines
preserved underneath in amber

the broken window lock waits patiently               hopefully no Outsiders
think to test its abilities—a slap in the faces
of three women living unarmed without the futile protection
of a properly locking window
we lay out—a welcome mat
inviting those unwanted to join us

hiding in the corner rests—an uncomfortable chair
                        picked up for cheap
in it sits an old woman.
the black cat circles her crossed ankles—
turning his head               he winks