//
Each day I wake with a new fixation.
Today, a mourning ritual.
The act:
An envelope, tucked in, three sage
leaves and sealed with purple wax
dripped from a candle, waning
leaves and sealed with purple wax
dripped from a candle, waning
Whisper:
I resent the organic
the origin how
arcane the organs
I will an aria,
wild, inoperable
the origin how
arcane the organs
I will an aria,
wild, inoperable
This afternoon, I watch Grey’s Anatomy and text
my mom to ask about her chemo. My favorite
line this episode: I resent an organ. I resent an organ.
my mom to ask about her chemo. My favorite
line this episode: I resent an organ. I resent an organ.
//
I’m stitching an image—
blackberry juice running down
my sternum. I imagine the drippings,
sticky, tacky. My palm full of pulp.
blackberry juice running down
my sternum. I imagine the drippings,
sticky, tacky. My palm full of pulp.
The berry skin covered in little hairs.
Mammalian. The juice, just short
of milk. Then, the mulch
a mother. Oh mirror,
have my breasts
always been so fibrous?
Mammalian. The juice, just short
of milk. Then, the mulch
a mother. Oh mirror,
have my breasts
always been so fibrous?
//
Blackberries represent sorrow.
Though the vines, woven,
form protective wreaths.There are
no blackberry vines in the city—
my substitute, embroidery floss.
Though the vines, woven,
form protective wreaths.There are
no blackberry vines in the city—
my substitute, embroidery floss.
split stitch, a quick
fix. The thread
tangles to a bramble. Create
a sprig, but then, a needle pricks.
fix. The thread
tangles to a bramble. Create
a sprig, but then, a needle pricks.
//
A text from my mom. Tired,
she says, and her fingernails
peeling up. She says she might
go to the farmers market for fresh fruit.
she says, and her fingernails
peeling up. She says she might
go to the farmers market for fresh fruit.
biography
MAGGIE NIPPS is a poet and playwright from Wisconsin, currently studying at the University of Iowa. Her work appears or is forthcoming in Figure 1, Sporklet, No Contact, Sip Cup, petrichor, and elsewhere. She co-edits the lit mag Afternoon Visitor.