ISSN: 1941-4137
POETRY THAT ENACTS THE ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE PURITY OF GLASS
POETRY THAT ENACTS THE ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE PURITY OF GLASS
Farrell Greenwald Brenner is a queer troublemaker and a Dana Scully enthusiast. Her first collection of poetry, Diatribe from the Library, was published by Headmistress Press in 2017. Her writing has also appeared in Lilith Magazine, Lavender Review, Hematopoiesis Press, and Milkweed Poetry Journal. She earned her B.A. from Syracuse University, which has definitely contributed to all her poetry about snow. She currently works at an LGBTQ community center and is a beginner roller derby skater in the Hudson Valley.
Also by Farrell Greenwald Brenner:
Diatribe from the Library
When You're That Intergenerational Jewish Lesbian Couple
Courted by the Snow
Redness
The Temple of No
No calls to me on the frequency of wind
her lips pulsing in that holy O
The great goddess No, daughter of titans
The goddess of schedules
and space debris
The goddess of the gut
known for stealing men’s kidneys in their sleep
She presides over goats, otters, and the bonobo
and has sired over thirty demi-gods
though borne none
Oral tradition holds that burnt offerings of
blue potatoes and razor blades
may sweeten the sacred deal
if you seek her favor for fortune or industry
though her greatest vocation is vengeance
Mortals-made-vessels to the goddess No
are unmistakable in their rite
they may unexpectedly
quit jobs
and lose the ability to make apologies
they will
suffer no fools
in their heightened state
unsmiling
and rapturous
This poem emerged out of conversations with a dear friend as both of us have grappled with the challenges and rewards of post-grad life. We felt unmoored, and challenged each other with short writing prompts each day to feel more grounded. Though the poem comes from a mindset of introspection, I was also compelled by our increasing unwillingness to put up with the ballast of the entitlement of others (and, in particular, that of men); I realized that I was still learning how to say no to other people's requests for my time and energy, requests that came without regard for my wellbeing and at the expense of my own growth. It's an experience I have heard echoed among so many women. So, the poem imagines this concept as if it were a sacred value and deity. It is my answer to the question, what would the world look like if we didn't constantly worry about hurting men's feelings?
Glass: A Journal of Poetry is published monthly by Glass Poetry Press.
All contents © the author.
All contents © the author.
