This comes from the poetry prompt for my Advanced Creative Writing class, where we were to write something in the style of Anne Carson's Autobiography of Red
Appendix
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Gorgon: having the face of a human female, with
venomous snakes for hair. looking
directly at
her turns mortals to stone.
Medusa: A gorgon. Beheaded by the hero Perseus.
Going Out
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She felt like an anti-vampire, only going out in
sunlight.
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She put on her slouchy hat and mirrored glasses,
checked her reflection
nothing peeking out from under her hat
she couldn’t se her eyes.
She stepped out of her door and into the bright
sunlight
she only went out when it was bright
that way she could wear her hat and sunglasses
people still stared though
it is hard not to get stares when your hat squirms
or hisses
Just don’t stare back, don’t look people in the eye
even through dark glasses
a returned stare could still harden hearts
and faces.
Blind Date
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Dating is such a complicated thing.
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She finally had a date with someone who wouldn’t get
stoned
just from one look
someone who could be with her and not make her feel
guilty.
Her friends had set them up
a private screened booth in a fancy restaurant
no one staring
She could even take her sunglasses off once the
waiter left
her friends had left instructions
no one was to come in for half an hour after the food
had been served
they would have time
for her to explain the hissing, the rustling sounds
she would tell him
not to touch her face, her hair until it knew him
better.
Bad Hair Day
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It was one of those days where nothing was going right, and
she hadn’t even had breakfast yet.
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She had been fighting with her hair in the mirror for
fifteen minutes
it wouldn’t hold still
hissing, slithering, twisting, twining
they wouldn’t take treats
how was she supposed to go out with her snakes acting up?
they hadn’t liked him
the blind date. It had gone fine, he was polite, quiet,
blind
but the snakes didn’t like him
they didn’t share her loneliness, her need for company
the snakes had each other
who needs a human when there are serpents around
but it wasn’t fair
just because they didn’t like him, they were throwing a
hissy-fit
literally, and loudly
