She’s had it easy, you know. I knew her
from FSU, back before she was disabled.
I mean she was disabled but she didn’t
write like it. Did she talk like it?
Do you know what it is exactly?
She used to wear these long dresses
to cover it up. She had a poem
in The Atlantic. Yes, I’ll take water.
Me too. With a slice of lemon.
It must be nice to have The Atlantic.
Oh, she’s had it easy all right.
She should come out and state
the disability. She actually is very
dishonest. I met her once at AWP.
Tiny thing. Limps a little. I mean not
really noticeable. What will you have?
I can’t decide. How can she write
like she’s writing for the whole group?
I mean really. It’s kind of disgusting.
It’s kind of offensive. It’s kind of
a commodification of the subaltern
identity. Should we have wine?
Let’s have something light. It makes
you wonder how she lives with herself.
I wouldn’t mind. I would commodify
and run. She’s had it easy.
I can’t stand political poetry.
She never writes about it critically.
If it really concerns her, she should
just write an article or something.
I heard she’s not that smart. My friend
was in class with her and he said
actually she’s not that smart.
I believe it. I mean the kind of language
she uses, so simple, elementary.
My friend said she actually believes
her poems have speakers. Oh, that’s rich.
I’m sorry but if the book is called
amputee and you’re an amputee
then you are the speaker.
So New Criticism. Really I don’t like
her work at all. I find it lacking.
from The Book of GoodbyesFind it in the library
Copyright © BOA Editions, Ltd 2013
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