Two Poems
Amelia K.
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I wrote "Teeth" about the day before my 18th birthday. Birthdays bring up a lot of emotions for me, mostly melancholy ones. I wanted this poem to capture a sort of factual, everyday (a trip to the dentist, subtle symptoms of depression) but still honest and vulnerable reflection, rooted (no pun intended) in detail. I created meaning and metaphor out of those details. "gas station ghost" is classic teenage feminine desire. I was inspired by the idea of liminal space, both physical (an empty gas station at night, that haunting or dream-like feeling a setting can have) and emotional/metaphorical (feeling empty, lost, wistful). I wanted to be beautiful and appealing to this person and I wanted them to lean into vulnerability. I like the imagery in both of these poems and the way in which they (hopefully) convey a mood through imagery and reflection, but in a way that’s not super intense or stated outright. I think the best poetry is subtle-profound, and that's what I often aim for in my work.
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Creativity means saying something interesting and meaningful, something with insight and emotion. Creativity is being free and in touch with yourself and fully human. Creativity means using your imagination, intelligence, knowledge, experience, and individuality to make something cool.
