Hermelinda Hernandez Monjaras – BRAINFØG VII

Posted byAngela Chaidez VincentPosted inHermelinda Hernandez Monjaras
Visual poem with a title that reads: BRAINFØG VII. There is a light gray, blooming image behind the words. The poem’s orientation is landscape. Across the poem, there are five columns of text, and the text reads: I. * arms trail below grass * the backyard the dirt water she struggles jolt * her side my window it won’t rain * weeds & plants the roof * her hair slips in the brush * pitcher plants regulate be sensing electrical signals II. * cockroach followed by authorities * i’ll admit at 88 i loved her i drift blur * cagesilent brown eyes sifted by dusk * the width of a room argues * my head tickles inside * mist guided by yellow moon *tornadocycles fleshrecycles * uterus absence of period III. * swimclarity my skull reverberates * abyss owls tired of disconnectedflames * an eviction she kicked me out * I drank every day * in July nearly homeless I fed stray cats * called the manager a bitch * I never invited him to my graduation * bright sultry red rose anger boils on canvas IV. * DNA a ghost walks alone * worms tendrils profiles sit on a boat pedal fresh air * naked flame sun set * limbs hold a helix temporal shift * weave germinate waterfalls ripping acoustic * a bee stings my depression * I pour paint on paper until its petals bleed on my dress V. * spider thumb inhabits border * my veins turn into slugs lungs constrict * listen to water twist and turn it spins me into a haze * pore ear inside fountain it kills a woman for smiling * each sapote lays bare the evergreen of my cadaver * it begins with an obsession * introvert solitude woman

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Artist’s Statement: For The Fresno 15 Creative Writing Marathon, I used 15 Rorschach blots I made by dabbing a red rose with paint onto paper. This series is an attempt to write on brain fog: forgetfulness, incoherent thoughts, mental fatigue, lack of clarity, and more. Each day became a challenge: the strings attached within me were reluctant to push, create, and pull; memory became a mass of confusion to frame. Luckily, these 15 days were possible due to persistence and help from my mentor, Anthony Cody, author of The Rendering. Lastly, this series is one step forward towards my future poetic work.

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