I like my poems fresh— my phrases picked early in the morning, before the sun ripens my sentences, wilting words in the heat. Lately, I’ve been trying to find a sharper knife. I want something gleaming, infallible. A serrated mind, more severe in its offerings. I like when words burst in their fullness, like summer fruit blushing towards its yield. I’m stewing the adjectives so they surprise you— languorous in their slumber, dawning purple and rich in your mouth. Pickling makes my pauses more tart, drawing something out of the silence. The sweet wincing of citrus. The silk of oil in my sibilance. Something crisp and vital against your teeth.
Yamini Krishnan is a writer whose poetry and essays have been published in the Penguin Book of Indian Poets, Bombay Literary Magazine, and Scroll.in, among other publications. She attended the Summer Institute of the International Writer’s Workshop at the University of Iowa in 2022. She currently resides in New Delhi, where she spends her time teaching, cooking and finding fellowship with cats and people alike.
Featured Artwork:
World of Words
Amanda Bergloff is a graphic designer and artist who uses dreamlike imagery in her mixed-media art to inspire viewers. Her work combines elements of nature with feminine iconography anchored in a vintage world. Her art has been featured in Tiny Spoon Literary Magazine, Non-Binary Review, 200 CCs, Mud Season Review, Backchannels Journal, and other publications.