II. Lupus Modern diseases have scientific labels, scleroderma, myositis. Some, old names from fairy tales, rickets, scarlet fever. Hers was both, science sandwiching a thirteenth-century fear. Lupus, the wolf’s bite. A menace to her, to women. Always being chased, the hunger/desire of a predator following two steps behind, waiting two steps ahead. A random presence to keep her heart racing, panting, looking. Will she get eaten today? III. Erythematosus
About the author:
Christa Fairbrother, MA, is Gulfport, Florida’s poet laureate. She’s had poetry in Crannog, Epiphany, Pleiades, and Salamander, among others, and been nominated for a Pushcart twice. She is a poetry editor at Phylum Press, and she loves tea and avocados. Connect with her: www.christafairbrotherwrites.com, on IG @christafairbrotherwrites, or BlueSky @christafairbrother.
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You stand where passage falters where answers thin into careful language. Nothing is denied. Nothing is given. Only delayed until it resembles reason. You call it balance. You call it caution. You wear it like it is clean. Something in me turns green sour nauseating burning a slow rising that has no language except return and repetition. I measure time by it now. You move elsewhere rooms that close cleanly evenings that soften laughter that costs nothing. But not everyone waits like this. Not your family. Not your daughter. Not your mother. They would not learn this kind of silence or the weight of being held just outside relief. Here things linger. The body speaks and nothing answers. Pain repeats itself until it becomes background. And still you stand at the threshold hand steady certain deciding when this is enough. Not for me. For you. A door never closed. Never opened. Crouching, kept. You, stand your ground, - tall. About the author:
Meg is an Australian self-published new Author who has one book *Story: Reflective Poetry* (2017), and a number of poems published to journals, in which some include: *Tipton Poetry Journal* (IN); *The Sunflower Collective* (LA); *SKYLIGHT 47* (UK); *Lifelines at Dartmouth* (MA); *Nature Writing* (UK); *Eureka* (Australia); *ditch* (Canada), and others. Meg was lucky to have positive press coverage in newspapers across the state of Queensland, and a positive written review by The Red Room Company (Australia) regarding this book which shows a reflective style of writing. Meg’s writing demonstrates elements of whimsy, transparency of feelings, abstractions, and may present as illustrative through her use of sensory and colourful words and imagery. Meg is self-taught and formerly worked in mental health as a therapist and support person. Meg’s education and qualifications are in Counselling. Meg is now retired due to an illness and has taken to writing as an outlet. Meg really admires and feels inspired by renowned poets local and international, such as Sam Wagan Watson, Dylan Thomas, Lord Byron, Les Murray, Clive James, Judith Wright, Dorothea Mackellar, Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, Yeats, Ocean Vuong, Kevin Young, Sharon Olds, Henri Cole, T.S. Eliot, Mary Oliver, Wordsworth, Jacob Polley — and many of the Bloodaxe Book poets. |
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