Liminal Dose
in this corridor brush a coat
along white wall a stripe
of paint shoulder bladed
forever a pulse thudding
out crickets from the wrists
and what else within wanting out
and what else within
wanting out what words
some objects (here,
a list ) brushed acrylic
or with butter
glisten gold expected like
a biscuit does not
expect a fist
or finger or a face
like a finger or a face
wants to find a hole
wanting out what words
shoulder blade along
what walls and brush
acrylic gold what dark mood
hello now like a face
Emily Brandt is the author of three chapbooks: Sleeptalk or Not At All (Horse Less Press), ManWorld (dancing girl press) and Behind Teeth (Recreation League). Her poems have recently appeared in Gigantic Sequins, LitHub, The Recluse, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Square Review, and other journals. She’s the recipient of Fellowships from New York University, Saltonstall Arts Colony, and Poets House. Emily is a co-founding editor of No, Dear and Web Acquisitions Editor for VIDA.
