“Untitled Abstract Waterscape” © Bonnie Matthews Brock

 

A Return to the Elemental

You will need Barbies,
and, of course, double A batteries.
Hair gel and some 80s hot pink
curling irons. Or some lacy leggings
will do. There is no gingerbread here.
Strike a match. All those times
when you ignored your doctor’s
orders will creep up to haunt you.
And you will find yourself in a
free clinic saying: It is just a rash.
And your doctor will look at you
like you are a child. You are a child
playing Frisbee with your dog and
lapping up contaminated water
with your tongue.

 

Lori D’Angelo: “I have never been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. However, back in the 80s, I was a goddess of the roller rink. I recently went skating, and though I still have the moves. However, I really should have worn wrist guards. Also, I am not coordinated enough to skate and dance to YMCA.”

Bonnie Matthews Brock is a Florida-based photographer, as well a school psychologist. She loves hiking the urban and woodland trails of “anywhere” (and pausing often to shoot photos) with her very patient husband (and often collaborator), Ted. Her images have been featured on the covers of magazines such as Ibbetson Street, Wild Roof Journal, Poesy Magazine, Humana Obscura, and Arkansas Review; as well as on the pages of publications such as Oddball Magazine, Ember Chasm Review, Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Beaver Magazine, and Lateral. Her works are archived at institutions such as Poets House NYC, Brown University, and Harvard University.