Lauri Conner is a graduate of the MFA program at Universtity of Washington. She is a Cave Canem fellow and her poems have appeared in Calx, Seattle Review, and other journals. She has taught at Cornish College of the Arts, Antioch University, and Seattle Central Community College. She currently teaches literature and creative writing at Seattle Academy.
Myths start like this. Mother said not to forget the red rocks. How they crumbled with weight. How each step turned your head no matter how old you were it was always left foot, right foot turn to see who followed. At best you were alone and each step seemed a leap closer to where […]
he says the stones are most abundant in places where the skulls are sweet-smelling the soil farmed around the graves, perfumed with mango, banana, and palm. in other places he is too afraid to break up the hard packed earth, troubled by the lack of bone. he can’t recognize dusty slope from dusty slope; can’t […]
mature green fruit can be stored two to five weeks without sunlight water hope each day without becoming prayer fruit that has changed colors in the field should die there on the needs of salvation those that do not die bruise easily will deteriorates rots perishes in light of inedible seeds deep pink flesh […]
adj: Father 1. In the mornings, when the only thing the world is he walks demanding the obedience of the floor 2. boards respecting the weight of his force. He packs bags, checks thermostats and drafts. The necessary is unavoidable, absolutely necessary to leave. Again, 3. He does not kiss us […]
When I was nine my mother stepped off a plane from Chicago. She had just returned from burying on of her siblings and jet lagged she collapsed in the car. At first I thought she was grieving. That life for her had been this burden she would have to carry. But then it shifted when […]
(for Toi) you don’t. let hurt and air sting the nostrils, allow bitter breath to trouble taste, and when you have closed off from the rest of the world because […]
Lauri Conner, a Cave Canem fellow and literature and creative writing teacher at Seattle Academy, talks about her poem How do you stop the hurt of needing to breathe?