1.
scars glare
like glyphs
on a wall long dark
uncloaked
by the finding light
lines etched on
skin white
against brown
marks imposed
curved
a script to decipher
slow
a story of another
time
2.
lines emboss
smooth skin
tattooed like secrets
read like code
spoken with hand
crooked to ear
breath hot
against the lobe
did you know?
we should have known
this
About Katherena Vermette
Katherena Vermette is a Métis writer of poetry, fiction and children's literature. Her first book,
North End Love Songs (Shillingford Press) won the 2013 Governor General Literary Award for Poetry. Her poetry and fiction have appeared in several literary magazines and compilations, including
Manitowapow: Aboriginal Writings from the Land of Water, and the
Exile Book of Native Fiction and Drama. She holds a Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, and lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
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