"From the Blowing Wind: Misr al-Arabiyah, 2011, 1933, 1922 . . ." by Elizabeth Iannaci

From the Blowing Wind: Misr al-Arabiyah, 2011, 1933, 1922 . . .

From the blowing wind,       linked elbows
From fear,       locked doors, excelsior
From packing crates,      combustion
From compressed carbon,      a curse
From the broken seal,      war
No. Wait.
From stolen gold,      comfort
of women’s hands
From shattered glass,      ransom
From turned earth,      honey
From the Pear-tree butterfly,       pictures from space
Wait.     Honey?
From the chrysalis,    1,000 miles
From the distance,     propellers and backdraft
From blowing wind,   camel bones
From tallow,      Porifera, jellyfish, corals
From silted catchment,     papyrus, vellum
From Alexandria,      the Nautilus
Stop! How?
From Alexandria,      flames
From the burned carcass,      Nomads’ wanderings
From marrow,      the Inverted Jenny, Penny Black, Red Mercury
Oh, hell yes, from cauldron & pony & Pony Express
From rosemary & nettles,      half-life
From crimson clay,     a cave of swimmers,
From amnesia,      women’s hands
From patriarch’s hands,       canopic jars
strips of linen
hieroglyphs in sand

Elizabeth Iannaci

Elizabeth Iannaci is a widely-published and anthologized L.A.-based poet, whose work appeared recently in 1001 Nights: 20 Years of Redondo Poets, Saranac Review, Pentimento, Crab Creek Review, and Main Street Rag’s Suspense Anthology. She earned her MFA in Poetry from VCFA, has one son, and is partially-sighted, which may account for her preference to paisley over polka dots. In the mid-to-late 70s, she had the pleasure of working with Led Zeppelin and Swan Song Records. Her most recent chapbook is The Virgin Turtle Light Show: Spring, 1968 (Latitude 34 Press).

Photo Credit: Brittany Antenorcruz