By Melissa Luna, Poetry Editor
As DiN participates in the Throwback-Thursday series, we have decided to celebrate by taking a step back and diving into the past. This particular poem was selected from DiN's first issue in 2010. Colin Andrew Bailey speaks out on conflicting emotions that are definitely admirable and relatable in 2020.
Bailey's work is full of vulnerability and unresolved trauma. This particular piece is fairly short in length, but the metaphorical meaning behind it is extensively profound. He starts off by making his body the primary character. He reveals that his body is not a temple, in fact it's actually a "dumping ground for the dead". This could reflect the idea of the worthlessness and or imperfections he feels and sees within himself. He also states how the back of his left knee is the only spot on his body that hasn't been affected by the cruel behaviors of this world. As we dive deeper into Bailey's poem, it becomes apparent that not only his body, but perhaps his soul has been hardened. He doesn't go into detail about the exact trauma that he has experienced, but we feel that he didn't have to. Bailey made the poem more relatable to his readers by not including his traumatic experiences, but by describing how that trauma has affected/transformed his body and how it has affected his personal perspective.
We as the poetry editors of DiN feel that this specific piece will not only relate to our readers in more ways than one, but we also want to show that realistic poetry matters.
Certainly: I Am in The Good Graces Of-
By Colin Andrew Bailey
my body is not a temple it is a tar pit and a dumping ground
for the dead if i could point out a spot
on my body that wasn't scared putrefying or cold it would be
the back of my left knee
there the world is safe from my follies
there trees for climbing have not scraped me there i am a clean cut god
the back of my left knee
Melissa Luna is studying English at New Mexico State University, majoring in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s currently living in El Paso, Texas but attends NMSU online, as the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a toll on public education. Melissa sees herself becoming a successful journalist/editor in the future, and she also wants to achieve her dream of becoming a successful news anchor. During her free time, Melissa likes to go to the gym, walk her three dogs, and take pictures of sunsets. She also likes to write poetry, inspired by realistic events that may seem taboo to the public.
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