–for
Samantha Brick
Samantha Brick
Seems
I can’t go anywhere without some dude
I can’t go anywhere without some dude
trying
to get inside my frontal lobe. Just once
to get inside my frontal lobe. Just once
I’d
like to go to a hotel bar without hearing,
like to go to a hotel bar without hearing,
“Nice
brain stem! Can I buy it a drink?”
brain stem! Can I buy it a drink?”
Or
“Did anyone ever tell your cerebellum
“Did anyone ever tell your cerebellum
it
could be a model?” Whenever I pass
could be a model?” Whenever I pass
a
construction site, the hardhats
construction site, the hardhats
whistle
at my bouncy left and right hemispheres.
at my bouncy left and right hemispheres.
As
I scurry away, I get, “Stuck up, neocortex!”
I scurry away, I get, “Stuck up, neocortex!”
At
work, Mr. Smith ogles my limbic system
work, Mr. Smith ogles my limbic system
and
the administrative assistants with small brains
the administrative assistants with small brains
ignore
me in the lunch room. I guess it’s true—
me in the lunch room. I guess it’s true—
I
flaunt my high IQ. I can be a tease
flaunt my high IQ. I can be a tease
when
it comes to anagrams and spatial reasoning.
it comes to anagrams and spatial reasoning.
But,
hey, don’t we all use whatever we have?
hey, don’t we all use whatever we have?
Unlike
most women, I’m actually looking forward
most women, I’m actually looking forward
to
senility, so everyone will stop seeing
senility, so everyone will stop seeing
only
my brain and except me for who I truly am.
my brain and except me for who I truly am.
— Denise Duhamel
Martin Stannard put together a one-shot literary magazine the old-fashioined way though with new media distribution. He asked friends, and friends of friends, to pick one poem apiece and he posted the results here on August 1, 2013. You will find compelling work by Angela Ball, Mark Ford, Robert Hershon, Doug Lang, Sharon Mesmer, Ron Padgett, Mitch Sisskind, Lee Upton, Terence Winch, Bill Zavatsky, many others in addition to Denise Duhamel, guest editor of The Best American Poetry 2013, whose poem "Downsides" we highlight above. — DL