Karla K. Morton, the 2010 Texas State Poet Laureate, reads tonight from her new collection of poetry, Redefining Poetry, which deals with her own battle with cancer, from diagnosis through to treatment, as in “Eyelashes”; (after the jump) and then recovery.
“Eyelashes”
They held on
for months, tiny black
survivors
on the ledge
of two great burning buildings–
their delicate hands,
those wispy
fingers, losing their
six-month grip
as sirens
finally broke through blinding smoke,
paralyzing fear.
Redefining Poetry is available now from Austin’s Dos Gatos Press. The book release celebration, reading and signing takes place tonight (Nov. 13) at 7pm at BookWoman (5501 North Lamar Blvd.).
This article appears in November 13 • 2009.
