In parting
When I left home I took only what I could carry:
seaglass, postcards, embroidery
thread woven between my fingers
circling my wrists.
I braided my hair with eggshells
& apple seeds, trussed together
under a paisley pashmina.
I wove pockets I’d accumulated:
stitches over my shoulders,
knees to accommodate Polaroids,
owl pellets, wax seals & vintage
stamps;
pillowcases bulging with stuffed
animals & clementines for later,
headphones for the bus, extra
USB cables wrapped around
My mother’s perfume.
A doll, felted from my first cat’s
fur. The jawbone of an English sheep.
With the Larousse, my pockets filled.
I turned to my collarbones, wedging
Playdough, fish food, pine needles
& glass beads into leftover spaces.
When I could carry no more—
my throat lined with academic papers
& diary entries rolled up in
rubber bands
–I stepped towards the door.
I forgot nothing as I left.
My last act: unscrewed bookshelves,
carefully folded
into the creases
of my skin.
Written poem delivered in audio, paired with visual photo
The first poem in my collection, “Rivers in Your Skin, Sirens in Your Hair.” Poem is delivered in audio with a photograph of items mentioned within.
Listen to an audio performance of “In Parting.”
Artist Statement
Marisca Pichette works in speculative and literary fiction, poetry, and essay. Her writing has been nominated for the Pushcart, Best of the Net, Bram Stoker, Rhysling, Utopia, and Dwarf Stars awards.