Poetry by Nicole Yurcaba
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Random Acts of Gothiness
A change of speed, a change of style. A change of scene, with no regrets. — Joy Division, "New Dawn Fades" I. Finger cut red water drip tissue suture what a glorious deflowering II. The cat on the sticker flashes middle fingers the way my friend flashes middle fingers to the mainstream. Cost of postage: less than fifty cents. III. A single bad day consumes an entire week, so I leave a friend hard candies in a cardboard coffin. IV. Jack-o-lantern lollipops for five students of twenty who scored A’s on this week’s literature test. V. The raven smiled. He flew three circles over me as I walked to lunch. I waved, cried "Hello, old friend." He told me not to fear. VI. Communion After Dark on lowest speaker setting; a dark chocolate kiss, purple wrapper, beside freshman papers, stacked three inches thick, screaming Grade me! |
My Depression: Side A
Track 1: Covenant—"Dies Irae" synapse delay askew chemicals bombardment tonight nihilism patchouli-scented lingers Track 2: Joy Division—"Twenty Four Hours" "blankness" is today’s moniker translucent white counted singly or in two sets of twelves three sets of eight four sets of six easily divisible vice versa counted this way any way simple multiplication doesn’t solve complexity Track 3: The Cure—"Strange Days" rain strums pine branches soft bounce up down up returning still Track 4: Marilyn Manson—"Unkillable Monster" i’m the spirit trapped in a smeared self-portrait notice slight smears unlikely-to-vanish streaks gray-circled eyes undead i’m the creature jagged parts mismatching non-meshing stitched sutured cauterized raggedly let there be scars Track 5: The Smiths—"How Soon Is Now?" some inheritances don’t harbor rubies emeralds amethysts diamonds golden purity smelted some inheritances bear silver tarnished exposure eroding sterling |
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Nicole Yurcaba, a Ukrainian-American poet and essayist, teaches in Bridgewater College’s English Department, where she also serves as the Assistant Director to the Bridgewater International Poetry Festival. A lover of all things dead, dark, and beautiful, Yurcaba’s work often blends elements of depression, death, Ukrainian mythology and history, and Slavic Paganism into verse to create worlds others might not consider.
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