My pick for October's Writer of the Month is an emotional one. I discovered Lyndal's work through this very poem that carried me through a very tough period. I am delighted to showcase it here, and to now count Lyndal as one of my friends!
The Writer
Lyndal Cairns (she/her) is a poet based in the Pacific Northwest who writes about science and the environment. Her work has been featured in The Adriatic, Consilience, Cordite Poetry Review, Wordstorm, Beast Crawl, Writers Victoria, andothers. In late 2020, she self-published a chapbook of poems about the tragedy of Pluto called Planet-ish. Find her on Twitter at @planet_ish and her words at planet-ish.com
The Poem
Planet-ish
Nothing changed for Pluto.
She threw no tantrums
and lodged no appeal.
Quietly, coolly, she accepted her demotion
but nothing changed for her.
Wedded to a star system that no longer recognizes her,
though she never turned her face away.
She waits 248 years to get as close
as the farthest thing from here.
The Inspiration Behind The Poem
Planet-ish is a chapbook mashup of the strange worlds at the edge of our solar system, the mythological figures they were named for, and the very human need for recognition. The title poem is a testament to Pluto's stoicism in the face of demotion from planethood and an exploration of women's patience, resilience, and strength.
You can (and should!) pick up a copy of Planet-ish here, and you can connect with Lyndal on Twitter and Instagram.
Disclaimer: EMC's Writer of the Month series seeks to promote the artist and their featured writing and is in no way an endorsement of any of said artist's services, opinions or other work outside of this feature.
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