Thursday, January 23, 2025

Book Smugglers

By Sophia Larimore

-

 For Andrea Gibson

  

I remember

the first time your bullets shot through my chest

the smoking pages from your gunpowder and

you walking through graveyards of children

whose families told them to stay in the dirt and

me drenching and blurring the pages

 

I remember

seeing the nurse carry out a mountain of books and

grabbing for your words like a man finding an oasis

then seeing

a starving man next to me

him looking at the feast like he could devour all

twenty-thousand words in front of us

 

I remember

 

me, and him, and

the slick cold tile

we can't let them see

his dried hands a dart on the floor

his hands grab for the cream of

 

Robin Wall Kimmer

her soothing words becoming our vitamins

 

I remember

the elderly woman who was

unable to sleep at 4 a.m.

breathing your fire and

her warm and at peace, asleep in a chair

 

I remember,

also, the starving queer girl next to me and

us feasting on your

anger

love

tears

laughter

pain

 

I remember

hope

 


About the Author


Sophia Larimore, a journalism major at ICC, currently works for the school's newspaper, Harbinger Student Media, as the managing editor. They are also president of the school's Student Government Association (S.G.A.). Sophia enjoys attending open mic nights at the local bookstore Lit. on Fire Books and writing at the nonprofit organization, My Writing Shed.

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