Erin Quick

Erin Quick grew up in Columbia, MO and now lives in South St. Louis. She holds a B.A. in English-Creative Writing and a Certificate in Women’s Studies from Webster University, where she also served as Poetry Editor for The Green Fuse. The last few years have found her peddling poetry from the stacks at Left Bank Books while managing the bookstore. Most recently, she is taking some time to welcome a new friend into her growing family. She is committed to social justice and building community through literature. As the volunteer librarian at The Soulard School, she exposes elementary school children to the wonders of poetry before they ever have a chance to be turned off to it.

When Hanging Up the Mobile: A Found Poem

~for David

When hanging up your mobile

there are certain measures

which should be observed:

1)

Hang the mobile

so that it has a quiet, uniform background.

Light

walls in a corner

are often to be preferred.

2)

Preferably

close to a lamp in such a way

that its shadow will be cast on the wall

or ceiling,

this giving the mobile yet another

dimension. A candle

is the most concentrated source of light,

and will give

distinct, well-defined shadows.

3)

Try to hang the mobile

where you can watch it while listening

to music. You will see

the mobile move

to the rhythm of the music.

Moore’s Paradox: Love

A baby died in the design of a city,

a baby was never born.

Here is the shape a family takes,

here is a star,

here is a hand, and she was never born.

A baby died in the design

before we could tell her about skyscrapers or trees,

before she could taste cherries or wine

or feel sunshine or the hum of pain

upon leaving it all,

before we could tell her

the word for love is death.