by a. adenike phillips
you are good
Found poem: It Does Not Matter If You Are Good, ELLE published online May 29, 20201
speak clearly
and slowly, widen your eyes
in situations or just
the danger of everyday existence
avoid any air bubble
or murky water—a traffic
stop or anodyne situation:
an apartment building
with a random white stranger
who suddenly wants to know
whatyouvedoingwhereyouvejustcomefromwhereyouthinkyouaregoing
(you must)
p e r f o r m h a r m l e s s n e s s
selling yourself out. heading off
conflict—there will be moments
to save yourself by convincing
a stranger you are good enough
to live.
Thomas, R. Eric. “It Does Not Matter If You Are Good.” ELLE, 29 May 2020,
https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a32712287/cnn-omar-jimenez-arrest-response/.
a. adenike phillips (she/her) is a NJ poet and native of Newark. She was recently chosen as a participant in Season 17 (Fall 2022) of the AWP Writers to Writers program. She is currently completing a collection of poems for her first chapbook.
Kateryna Bortsova is a painter–graphic artist with BFA in graphic arts and MFA. Kateryna’s work appeared in many international exhibitions (Taiwan, Berlin, Munich, Spain, Italy, USA, etc.). In addition, she won a silver medal in the category “realism” from “Factory of Visual Art,” New York, USA, and the 2015 Emirates Skywards Art of Travel competition in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Gulf Stream Magazine 