The Great Contraction
Tidings
Turning tides
Time creeping on
Turning seasons
From fall-winter to winter-winter
From freedom, access, expansion
To this guttural Great Contraction
That takes root in the under-most belly of the city
As all its members gather their loved ones
Ben, Jerry, the cat, the roommate
And retreat
Under cover from nature’s cruellest trick
I stare a man down
On the bus I can no longer evade paying for
(Because one Great Contraction inescapably invites others)
I sense him gathering his mental troops
To battle this 4-month beast
I nod; I feel myself contracting, too
In small ways
Saying no, wincing, groaning
Fantasizing, avoiding, astral projecting
Scheming escape routes to Costa Rica
Any way to remember
An existence where one could step outside,
Outstretch naked arms,
And embrace the sun
About the poet:
I am a conscious storyteller on a lifelong journey to explore critical issues of environment, justice, and healing, and further to help build the world that I believe in. Recently graduated from Strategic Management and Environment at McGill University, I am currently working on the project of a lifetime: building a global network of human stories. Previously, I have led campaigns for national non-profits at a creative agency, made a documentary about the experience of queer women in Paris, and wrote a two-time published research paper on southern African wildlife conservation. As I write my way through this journey, my goal is to get ever closer to the truths of our humanity, and in doing so, rewrite the narrative that will shape our future on this planet. You can follow my blog at https://rachael-madore.medium.com
About the artist:
Bhaswati recently completed her graduation from NIFT, Bhubaneswar. She currently works as a graphic designer at Missing Link Trust and occasionally takes up freelance projects as a side hustle. She draws inspiration from the most mundane things in life, wildflowers and music, buildings and people. She always carries a sketchbook wherever she goes and her favourite thing in the world is her microtip pens. Apart from art, she likes solo dates to museums, reading, stationery hoarding, and petting her cats. Find her work at Instagram or Behance.