"poem" broadside #334: "hymn to a fellow dark daughter" by Amanda Earl

You’re afraid of unsafe

pagan daylight. Listen—

            Amy Dennis,

The Complement and Antagonist of Black

(Or, the Definition of All Visible Wavelengths)

i. lost vodka songs

invisible light, dust mite

imp(s) of the perverse/persevere/severe

we clamour

sin(g) with the boys

beauty: our voracious appetites

ii. music like a hymnographer’s dark daughter

unsung between peaks

of colour

grace notes, French horn

& oboe

for mornings of transgressions

iii. praise in the name of the lark

black feathers

take their pleasure

in the winds of a storm

evidence

of another

fallen angel

                           * italics for the brilliant phrases of Amy Dennis in above.

hymn to a fellow dark daughter
by Amanda Earl
above/ground press broadside #334

Amanda Earl’s first poetry book, Kiki, came out in 2014 with Chaudiere Books. She has three above/ground press chapbooks & this is her third above/ground press broadside. She’s an above/ground press subscriber & as such, had the pleasure of reading & being influenced by Amy Dennis’ chapbook. You should subscribe too.