Unlikely 2.0


   [an error occurred while processing this directive]


Editors' Notes

Maria Damon and Michelle Greenblatt
Jim Leftwich and Michelle Greenblatt
Sheila E. Murphy and Michelle Greenblatt

A Visual Conversation on Michelle Greenblatt's ASHES AND SEEDS with Stephen Harrison, Monika Mori | MOO, Jonathan Penton and Michelle Greenblatt

Letters for Michelle: with work by Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, Jeffrey Side, Larry Goodell, mark hartenbach, Charles J. Butler, Alexandria Bryan and Brian Kovich

Visual Poetry by Reed Altemus
Poetry by Glen Armstrong
Poetry by Lana Bella
A Eulogic Poem by John M. Bennett
Elegic Poetry by John M. Bennett
Poetry by Wendy Taylor Carlisle
A Eulogy by Vincent A. Cellucci
Poetry by Vincent A. Cellucci
Poetry by Joel Chace
A Spoken Word Poem and Visual Art by K.R. Copeland
A Eulogy by Alan Fyfe
Poetry by Win Harms
Poetry by Carolyn Hembree
Poetry by Cindy Hochman
A Eulogy by Steffen Horstmann
A Eulogic Poem by Dylan Krieger
An Elegic Poem by Dylan Krieger
Visual Art by Donna Kuhn
Poetry by Louise Landes Levi
Poetry by Jim Lineberger
Poetry by Dennis Mahagin
Poetry by Peter Marra
A Eulogy by Frankie Metro
A Song by Alexis Moon and Jonathan Penton
Poetry by Jay Passer
A Eulogy by Jonathan Penton
Visual Poetry by Anne Elezabeth Pluto and Bryson Dean-Gauthier
Visual Art by Marthe Reed
A Eulogy by Gabriel Ricard
Poetry by Alison Ross
A Short Movie by Bernd Sauermann
Poetry by Christopher Shipman
A Spoken Word Poem by Larissa Shmailo
A Eulogic Poem by Jay Sizemore
Elegic Poetry by Jay Sizemore
Poetry by Felino A. Soriano
Visual Art by Jamie Stoneman
Poetry by Ray Succre
Poetry by Yuriy Tarnawsky
A Song by Marc Vincenz


Join our Facebook group!

Join our mailing list!


Print this article


Three Poems by Khadija Anderson

Bedroom

Your shirts hang
in our closet
stoic and straight sleeved
exactly half way between
the floor and ceiling
reliable and calm

Against the wall
my bookshelf of poetry books
tipping over, not arranged by author
tabbed and dog-earred
and your great unread giants
Blake and Borges

I have put your books with mine
to steady them, fill in the holes
my clothing in the closet
spills over to your side




Floor

I am moving to the floor
flat like on the carpet
only better
it's cooler and
I can search the cracks
in the floorboards
for myself
pieces are there
they have fallen
I know it
I splay my arms out
like when I'm happy and they are
in the air
only now they are on the floor
sort of the same but
gravity is different here
more grounded
I need grounding
so here, on the floor
is where I will be




As if that wasn't enough

Swarovski crystals have been sewn
to my bedroom curtains

This is to repulse the vitriol
coming from under the bed

I will recuse myself from shape shifting
Lest we forget what this poem is about

Your heartbeat has been bandied about
the floorboards for much too long

It's time to stop being silently loquacious
it's time to become resplendent


E-mail this article

Khadija AndersonKhadija Anderson returned in 2008 to her native Los Angeles after 18 years exile in Seattle. Khadija's poetry has been published extensively in print and online and she reads frequently around Los Angeles. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University, L.A. and her poem "Islam for Americans" was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.


Comments (closed)

fictitious
2011-08-30 18:16:40

Such an eloquent way to speak of heavy topics. Thank you.

Lisa Starr
2012-02-14 16:30:02

Enjoy your Poems***

In Gratitude and Love,
Lisa