Our task is simple:
map the stars for the Queen
in our kingdom of clouds
& ashes
But stars burn
when you’re too close-
not so much the heat
but the light, which burrows
inside of us on an inky night
We trace the elegant constellations
with the instruments assigned
flying from star to star
dust particles our only friends
My Queen, we are doing
what we can but
even celestial beings
are no match
for these stars
About the Author
Erin Jamieson (she/her) holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Miami University. Her writing has been published in over eighty literary magazines, including a Pushcart Prize nomination. She is the author of a poetry collection (Clothesline, 2023) and four poetry chapbooks. Her latest poetry chapbook, Fairytales, was published by Bottle Cap Press. She has a forthcoming novel from Type Eighteen Books (November 2023).
Twitter: @erin_simmer
