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Danielle Coffyn's avatar

Here's a draft of the poem I worked on during the write-in. This was so helpful for me because I have ADHD, and body-doubling holds me accountable to my writing practice. Thank you so much for this time together.

There Is Still Beauty Here

Here in the land of plenty

we regret & hunger for

the gluttony

of our misspent youth.

Before we were afraid

of our flesh & blood,

we were skinned-shin children,

all scab-crusted knees & elbows—

currency we happily paid

to run free.

Thin-thighed, thick-thighed,

deep-fat-fried-thighed—

gorgeous girls.

Now, our joints & tendons ripen.

We chase champagne

livers with emerald green juice,

name it detox.

Bleach & shrink & tighten.

Oblivious women

unaware

there is still beauty here.

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Phyllis Unterschuetz's avatar

Here's a snippet from what I wrote:

When I was a teenager, Dad used to say “Don’t let me catch you telling a lie/sneaking around with a boy/breaking one of my rules.” He didn’t say “don’t do that thing.” He said “Don’t let me catch you doing it.” He wasn’t a violent parent; he didn’t believe in physical punishment, though he himself was beaten as a child. He never spanked or hit or yanked or bruised. The worst he would do, if he caught me in an act of disobedience, was ground me after school and weekends. Keep me from being with my friends. But that was punishment enough, so I became very good at not getting caught.

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