“205” - Emily Anna King

i can only consider the bus passing over the bridge

            so many times             before

the empty seats fill themselves

with storylines from sad pop songs, rain jackets

sun ricocheting off puddles and river waves              as it sets

someone thinks about the first time missing a friend             sitting next to them

drinking black coffee              thinking the bitterness tastes sweet

eyeliner bleeds under tired eyes                     a symptom of considering the universe

if hot and cold reach a point of equilibrium, then how do i define every person

who doesn’t write back

another passenger thinks about           who does

him and his cigarette soaked sweatshirt         dimples etched in both cheeks

he laughs at her message and makes a note to buy    cheap chocolates

an old man counts his change             repositions a faded cap

hard ivy green seats

lit by white interior lights

a red setter runs           by my window

painted in warm brown and rust tones

earl grey tea lingers on lips

smells of fish tinge the air      it is not mine

i count the breadcrumbs on the table

1, 2, 3, 4, 5                  lives i haven’t lived

passing by in blue and green coats, shopping bags in hand

wet hair clings            to shoulder blades

dampens my cotton shirt

kitchen sponge            against palm

smell of lime juice and peach tea       poured into drain

sky fading into navy blue       purple clouds             

shining porcelain

clean

view

over the bridge            into the city

i remember                  the fuzz of his sweater against my cheek

Emily Anna King (锡萍芳) is pursuing her MA in Creative Writing at University College Cork in Ireland. Her most recent publications are in Tír na nÓg, Massachusetts Best Emerging Poets 2019 (Z Publishing), Pamplemousse, Lily Poetry Review, Paragon Press, and Otherwise Engaged Journal. Besides writing, she loves spending time with family, playing piano, training jiujitsu and baking.

On the Creative Process: While my work often explores the Chinese American adoptee experience, I am also passionate about investigating the intersectionality between language and music. I love intangibles and working with language to craft them into color and texture and melody on the page. Recently, my travels have inspired me to further explore themes of belonging, place and how we shape our identity on our own terms. Whenever I write a new piece, I hope it takes on a life of its own and also surprises me in the process. I think the best pieces come from that dynamic. I also hope that my work contributes to increased inclusivity, connection and kindness in our global community.