winner of the Edith A. Hambie Poetry Prize (2021)—awarded at Spelman by the Academy of American Poets University and College Poetry Program. guest judge Kimberly A. Collins selected [my] poem "the altar mirror," noting the excellent "use of form, imagery, and language" and “the depth of [my] promise as a significant writer someday” (written by Prof. Strange of Spelman College).
“the altar mirror”
and
bring
the
grandma
again
eats
swallows
gone
persistent
repeats
hunger
ends
elongates
and
widens
she
sings
bring
the
grandma
again
eats
swallows
gone
persistent
repeats
hunger
ends
elongates
and
widens
she
sings
the triptych holds
my faces close
stain-glass colored skin
and i reach
out for truffles
rich and sickening
i am small
in the mirror
my face dirty
with the pleasure
for something sweet
in the mirror
i am large
barely observable, no
light or candle
captures my face
at grandma’s vanity
my faces close
stain-glass colored skin
and i reach
out for truffles
rich and sickening
i am small
in the mirror
my face dirty
with the pleasure
for something sweet
in the mirror
i am large
barely observable, no
light or candle
captures my face
at grandma’s vanity
words
watch
while
together
something
presses
—something
calls
pressure
from
glass
mouth
big
mouth
gone
mouth
tongues
watch
while
together
something
presses
—something
calls
pressure
from
glass
mouth
big
mouth
gone
mouth
tongues