SHINE ON

WISHING THE LIGHT COULD SOMEHOW PENETRATE HER

SHE LOST THE LITTLE MAP SHE'D DRAWN FOR HERSELF

SHE WOKE UP AND SHE LIT A CANDLE

SHE FELT LIKE A CLOWN: EXTREMELY HAPPY AND UNHEALABLY SAD AT THE SAME TIME

WIN A DREAM

ONE OF THE FEW THINGS SHE NEVER TOLD TO HER MOTHER

THE SCARF THAT COVERED HER MIRROR

SHE WASN'T SCARED, SHE JUST WANTED TO KNOW

WHY IS SUCH A STUPID WORD

SHE FOUND HERSELF WONDERING HOW THE WORLD COULD LOSE ALL OF ITS COZINESS AND FAMILIARITY SO SUDDENLY

HER EYES CLOSED, HER HAND ON THE SWITCH

BUT HER NAME ISN'T NADIA

SHE DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE THAT HER BATHWATER HAD GONE COLD

THE THINGS SHE SOMETIMES FINDS OR THE THINGS THAT SOMETIMES FIND HER

SHE DIDN'T REMEMBER ANYMORE WHAT THOSE HOUR-LONG PHONE CONVERSATIONS WERE ABOUT

SHE WAS TOLD TO BRING A PAIR OF SUNGLASSES

HOW SHE ALWAYS FELT AT HARBOURS, TRAIN STATIONS AND AIRPORTS

WHERE SHE FOUND A BAG FULL OF UNMATCHED SOCKS

ANTICIPATING IT EQUALS THE THING ITSELF, SHE NOW KNEW

IT'S HER FIRST AND FORTY-FIVE ARE YET TO COME

SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH IMMINENT CHANGES AS IF WITH A BABY

INSTEAD OF A REPLY SHE JUST LAUGHED

FIERCE FIERCE FIERCE FIERCE FIERCE FIERCE VULNERABLE