Fire Poetry Journal
  • Fire Poetry Journal
  • About Fire Poetry
  • Archive
    • Fire Poetry Issue Six
    • Fire Poetry Issue Five
    • Fire Poetry Issue Four
    • Fire Poetry Issue Three
    • Fire Poetry Issue Two
    • Fire Poetry Issue One
  • Submit

Mason Elise Patterson

Late Night Whispers
Cover Art: Sol LeWitt, Plate (folio 44) from Six Geometric Figures and All Their Combinations, Volume I. 1980. Etching from an illustrated book. MOMA.

Late Night Whispers

When you were here, the world
was easy, filled with Bible stories and childhood prayers
which nestled into the fabric of my skin.
Weaving together images of your congregation,
your travels with Grandma to save those you deemed lost.
You made the world simple. I longed
to explore it with you and live
in the life of your stories.
​
Your dreams for my life haunt me. They whisper
when I skip church. They scorn
my happiness and shuddered at my first kiss.
It’s strange how easy it is
to ignore your whispers when I’m surrounded by noise.
I have found a world outside of your
stories. I have created my own.
Now I am haunted knowing
there is too much world between us.

Mason Elise Patterson is a senior English student at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. She has interned with the Periodical Poetry Index, indexing and cataloging poetry featured in the eighteenth- century literary periodicals. She has presented her work and writing at several universities across the country. After her graduation in the May of 2020, Mason plans to continue her education in graduate school, studying Victorian literature and gender studies.

past, Laurie Kolp                                                                                                                                                                                                                             next, Ron Riekki​
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Fire Poetry Journal
  • About Fire Poetry
  • Archive
    • Fire Poetry Issue Six
    • Fire Poetry Issue Five
    • Fire Poetry Issue Four
    • Fire Poetry Issue Three
    • Fire Poetry Issue Two
    • Fire Poetry Issue One
  • Submit