Melinoë by Samantha Taylor
translucent silhouette of body passing / through solid walls that reverberate with / the cries of loss she carries / with her flowers of which the petals never fall / but are never watered and dry / they hang in cold hand / impaled with thorns
breath sucked inward / and thrown forward as daggers / slicing at glass reflecting image of shadow / figure that stands holding bouquet but mirrored self / its jaw distorted and broken / in screams of recognition / daughter of life and death / stuck in limbo
trapped in mental carousel / rise and fall the horse with wings / exit out of reach / from hands full of petals / and thorns / and hair / and blood / and scalp / and glass from shattered mirror / to stop the containment of her / screams
About the Author:
Samantha Taylor graduated from Seattle University with a BA in English/Creative Writing. During her college experience she presented a paper in Seattle University’s Curve Con on Feminist Epics, had pieces published in the SU Literary Journal Fragments, and performed in the university’s Inigo Club annual Rocky Horror Picture Show production. She also spent her final year at the university as the executive editor of Fragments and was a member of the editing team for the Seattle University Research Journal. She finds herself returning to themes of the body and fatness in her own writing but has a soft spot for young adult fiction. In their free time, Samantha writes poetry next to her cats, Miss Muffin and Mr. Maple, and goes on adventures with friends.