Letter to My Older Sister 5
dear Georgiana,
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β trying to do something to shake off this
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β post holiday boohoohoo.
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β as you know, i've been poking at baby sis again.
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β she looks like
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β strawberry shortcake, but watch the hardtack
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β underneath. it'll
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β crack your teeth. it would be victory over
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β raging hearts
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β should we manage to become friends. but that's
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β going to take more
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β vital stuff than i have to bleed. put that on hold.
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β besieged and collapsing under the weight
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β of my gift. love
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β as i live it seems more like Mercurochrome
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β than anything else
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β i can conjure up. it lo0oks so pretty and red,
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β and smells of a balmy
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β coolness when you uncap the little applicator.
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β but swab it on an
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β open sore and you nearly die under the stabbing
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β burn. recovery
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β leaves a vague tenderness and an India ink-red
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β splotch that'll
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β vanish between one scrubbing or another
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Mama's favorite lipstick used to be a sultry
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β red violent
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β that segued into the hue of sangria when
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β applied to her
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β full rose-brown lips. i liked watching her
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β slick moves as
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β she studied her face over the dressing
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β table mirror, but
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β best was show she briskly slipped it
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β from her purse
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β while sitting in the car, cupping her compact
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β in one palm while
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β she uncapped the tube with a flick. One twist
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β of the brass
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β canister's butt, and the stick rose for duty
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β the pangs-n-thangs of girlhood are foremost on my
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β agenda of items suppressed.
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β they form the Barrier Reef of my consciousness
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β like shipwrecked
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β swabbies, drunk with trauma, washed inland to
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β a grimmer death
βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β against the shore where rent flesh, first red,Β
Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β βββββββ Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β turns salt white
Copyright Credit: Wanda Coleman, "Letter to My Older Sister 5" from Wicked Enchantment: Selected Poems. Copyright Β© 2020 by Wanda Coleman. Β Reprinted by permission of The Estate of Wanda Coleman, Black Sparrow / David R Godine, Publisher, Inc., godine.com.
Source: Wicked Enchantment: Selected Poems (Black Sparrow Press (Godine), 2020)