M

Becca Barniskis

Excerpted from Mimi and Xavier Star in a Museum That Fits Entirely in One’s Pocket, Anomalous Press Chapbook Contest Finalist, forthcoming

click here to read about the full project

[Not glancing up].
Ever clever, that one.
Cannot even figure
how to spring me.
Just stands stupidly.
[Removes all her clothing and then resumes measuring and mixing.]

There are some that run screaming
out to the playground,
thoughtless fun on their minds
and others who loiter,
wait, watch.
[holding up a small pen and looking at it]
I would like to kill
a lot of birds
with one stone.


Becca Barniskis' chapbook of poems, Mimi and Xavier Star in a Museum That Fits Entirely in One’s Pocket will be published in 2013 by Anomalous Press. Her poetry has appeared in numerous journals, among them The Boiler, Mid-American Review, burntdistrict, Conduit, and Prairie Schooner. She lives and works in Minnesota. beccabarniskis.com

Nick Jaffe, who collaborated with her on the audio version of these four poems and who is working with her on an audio version of the forthcoming chapbook, is a Chicago-based musician, recording engineer and teacher.  He has performed as a guitarist with a wide variety of artists including Common, Dwele and Ice Cube and collaborates on music across genres.  His most recent solo work includes an album that is a musical history of the Sputnik I satellite. http://nickjaffe.com