These are poems I initially wrote for a creative writing class in 2019 or so. I then revised them and included them as part of my Plan of Concentration (think senior capstone/thesis project) for my bachelor's degree. I haven't written much poetry lately, but I was recently reminded of these and I thought it might be time to post them.
The assignment for which I wrote these poems was based on Tyehimba Jess's book Olio. They use Jess's syncopated sonnet structure to depict a conversation between two people. You can see Jess explain the structure (and read his own poems) here. You can read these poems in any order; you can read each side independenly, or you can read them all together. You can also read the middle column by starting with the last line and moving upwards. Together, they form an X shape, and you can read either leg of the X continuously. Because these poems depend so heavily on formatting, I'm linking them as a PDF as well as including the text here.
You can find the PDF of these poems here.1.
the king's edict? since our brothers' deaths?
since both of us were robbed of both of them?
he has told the city I know nothing.
ever since the Argive army left
we cannot bury him and I have been alone
at night, I have heard nothing
only bad news from dusk to dawn
I have honored my family
for my brother now there is only you, my sister
but I have no more news
just the king's edict bringing me outside the gates:
I have not heard of better fortunes.
I have not heard of greater suffering.
2.
Ismene, my conspirator Antigone, my sister
my partner from the start--
it's our brothers who I cannot lose
we must help each other
we must stand up to the king's will
for our family and ourselves.
how can you say you must bend
for yourself and for me you will not help for the city
to rectify this ruin
in the face of fate in the face of grief
please, work with me
against the horror we've inherited.
3.
than what Zeus has poured on us there is nothing we can do
unless the king says something more
unless there's something else to mourn.
what is this new rule? I will mourn my brothers.
we may not bury Polynices. I wish I could help.
we will be the last lament.
we will have our quiet funeral.
I will lay dust on his grave even if it brings me sadness.
I will be the one to close his eyes even if I die for it.
we are the last remnants of our line
the daughters of Oedipus
I will speak against the king. I will stay strong.
I will go to the grave. we must stand together.
4.
battle-ready ill-fated
I will walk to my kin
my head high truth on my tongue
even when Persephone has taken you
I have lost so much I will keep something
I will do what's right
I will admit for you
my only sister
that I did bury him I helped him
my beloved brother
out of love I tell you this
all will be right in the eyes of the gods
once this final deed is done
5.
in our deeds in our grief
we must let our voices sing
in one last lamen for our family's fate
we are the last ones left.
I have heard your care I have seen your love
I remember everything.
I have been with you I am complicit
every time we've mourned.
I do not remember as you perform this act
you without me:
despite my hot heart I carry this charge
we have always been two sisters
tossed by the Fates.