Easy-Bake cakes never taste like they should

Emilia Morgan



Heather from next door got jelly sandals yesterday
and, in the haze of summer heat they kick up baseball
diamond dust. Bicycle spokes and lipsmacker sparkle
like her translucent handlebar streamers. God,
                                         she looks like sunshine
                                         and a slush puppy. She
adjusts spaghetti straps over shoulders sprinkled with
easy-bake freckles and snaps bubblegum.

Saturday, I call Teta and aunties, serve maramia tea
and wait for my turn on the landline to call Heather
(I know the number by heart) and hear about
                                         horse riding
                                         sleepovers
                                         and other strange customs.





Emilia Morgan is a Palestinian-Canadian writer and co-founder of Coven Editions small press. Her long poem Suburbia was published as a tiny book in by In/Words press, and you can find more work in Bywords, talking about strawberries, Chaudiere, and some other places. She is a member of the Arc Poetry Magazine board and otherwise spends as much time as possible with plants and animals.