Ask the Author: Anna Kander
Answered Questions (2)
Anna Kander
Sure! Here's "Natural Light," the first poem in the collection, and "The Sound of Metal," which was later nominated for a Pushcart Prize...
NATURAL LIGHT
The desire to be seen
transforms me.
Slide a mirror to me
under the door,
here in this dark room,
and I will find a way
to flash semaphores.
*
THE SOUND OF METAL
love your brothers and sisters, momma said
carry us like a song in your heart
in high school, i whispered gossip to mean girls
and, on alternate Tuesdays, tried not to drown
in labels
and expectations
and a labyrinth of dented lockers
that made hollow sounds
when bodies and metal collided
for the thousandth occasion
at the same high school
at the same time
my brother was molested
we didn’t learn what happened ’til years later
after he stopped coming home
on a field trip with an overnight bus ride
two rich boys—also brothers
pinned him in the corner of the high, stiff seat
used some sort of hard implement
one of them held a knife
it scraped the metal frame around the window
screeching metal around a black night
swallowing all those stars
anyway, that’s what I heard
third-hand, from our mother
or fourth- or fifth-hand, if i am counting
the rich brothers
in English, there are at least nineteen words
to describe the sounds of metal
clang, ding, clatter, clunk, clash
drum, echo, jangle, rattle, rasp
jingle, gong, plink, tinkle
crash
wood blocks make dull thumps
strike metal and it sings
releasing sounds sharp like weapons
for avenging
the energy of struck metal dissipates slowly
scientists say that’s because metal is “elastic”
i’d say metal remembers
the oscillations of metal decay—yet linger
my brother went silent; the metal still screams
every autumn, as purple and gold leaves fall
from the copper beech and sugar maples
my brothers and sisters who can travel
return to our hometown
migrating back to the place of our birth, like salmon
until we are someone’s dinner
we will clink forks and knives on the good china
and enjoy a ritual meal
we had all our friends in common
and I’ll see them around town
when I run to the drugstore for shampoo and chocolates
pieces of home that I forgot to bring
tokens of appreciation that somehow slip my mind
every single goddamn year
your friends from high school will ask me about you again
and I’ll say no, he won't be coming home
no, he won’t be here
for thanksgiving
*
And, here's the book blurb...
While training as a psychotherapist, a young woman recovering from anxiety is called to counsel a girl who's attempted suicide. Each must find a way to carry herself forward...
Slide a Mirror to Me is the debut poetry collection by Anna Kander, a Pushcart Prize-nominated author who previously trained as a psychotherapist. Kander weaves poems and stories into a loose narrative with villains, heroes, and hope.
Heather Kinnane, author of Faery Dream, calls the book "heartbreaking in places, and beautiful."
NATURAL LIGHT
The desire to be seen
transforms me.
Slide a mirror to me
under the door,
here in this dark room,
and I will find a way
to flash semaphores.
*
THE SOUND OF METAL
love your brothers and sisters, momma said
carry us like a song in your heart
in high school, i whispered gossip to mean girls
and, on alternate Tuesdays, tried not to drown
in labels
and expectations
and a labyrinth of dented lockers
that made hollow sounds
when bodies and metal collided
for the thousandth occasion
at the same high school
at the same time
my brother was molested
we didn’t learn what happened ’til years later
after he stopped coming home
on a field trip with an overnight bus ride
two rich boys—also brothers
pinned him in the corner of the high, stiff seat
used some sort of hard implement
one of them held a knife
it scraped the metal frame around the window
screeching metal around a black night
swallowing all those stars
anyway, that’s what I heard
third-hand, from our mother
or fourth- or fifth-hand, if i am counting
the rich brothers
in English, there are at least nineteen words
to describe the sounds of metal
clang, ding, clatter, clunk, clash
drum, echo, jangle, rattle, rasp
jingle, gong, plink, tinkle
crash
wood blocks make dull thumps
strike metal and it sings
releasing sounds sharp like weapons
for avenging
the energy of struck metal dissipates slowly
scientists say that’s because metal is “elastic”
i’d say metal remembers
the oscillations of metal decay—yet linger
my brother went silent; the metal still screams
every autumn, as purple and gold leaves fall
from the copper beech and sugar maples
my brothers and sisters who can travel
return to our hometown
migrating back to the place of our birth, like salmon
until we are someone’s dinner
we will clink forks and knives on the good china
and enjoy a ritual meal
we had all our friends in common
and I’ll see them around town
when I run to the drugstore for shampoo and chocolates
pieces of home that I forgot to bring
tokens of appreciation that somehow slip my mind
every single goddamn year
your friends from high school will ask me about you again
and I’ll say no, he won't be coming home
no, he won’t be here
for thanksgiving
*
And, here's the book blurb...
While training as a psychotherapist, a young woman recovering from anxiety is called to counsel a girl who's attempted suicide. Each must find a way to carry herself forward...
Slide a Mirror to Me is the debut poetry collection by Anna Kander, a Pushcart Prize-nominated author who previously trained as a psychotherapist. Kander weaves poems and stories into a loose narrative with villains, heroes, and hope.
Heather Kinnane, author of Faery Dream, calls the book "heartbreaking in places, and beautiful."
Anna Kander
Thank you, José! SLIDE A MIRROR TO ME is not yet available to buy. As soon as I have the release date, I will share it! Last week, I got to see the first proof of the interior layout, and this week, I got to see possible covers. I'll keep you posted...
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Apr 26, 2018 06:38AM · flag