Geography
They
were both prisoners of their minds.
“You
don’t have to be a solo driver”, she said to him,
Hoping
to lighten his heart.
He
claimed it had the desired effect -
At
least some of the time.
Both
of them bore battle scars.
Soldiers
in the field, they stood shoulder to shoulder,
Facing
the same way – a cold wind blew
As
they stood staring into the midday sun
Just
after that last eclipse.
He
reassured her fears with his constant words –
And
a miniature universe was born.
The
phone lines between them were clear;
No
crackle, no static.
Except
for on one occasion
When
he was speaking and she could not hear his voice –
She
admired his tenacity -
He
kept on trying to get through.
She
made a map, and he stuck coloured pins on it,
Markers
to mark where they had been,
And
also where they were going.
They
could not see the edge of the map.
He
told her he wanted to be a land surveyor
So
she sent him a book on topography,
Along
with the latest MRI scan of her brain.
Together
they explored the geography
Of
their strange and unexpected new love.
Laura Solomon has
a 2.1 in English Literature (Victoria University, 1997) and a Masters
degree in Computer Science (University of London, 2003).
Her
books include Black Light, Nothing Lasting, Alternative Medicine, An
Imitation of Life, Instant Messages, Vera Magpie, Hilary and David, In
Vitro, The Shingle Bar Sea Monster and Other Stories, University Days,
Freda Kahlo’s Cry, Brain Graft, Taking Wainui, Marsha’s Deal and Hell’s
Unveiling.
She
has been short-listed in Bridport, Edwin Morgan, Ware Poets, Willesden
Herald, Mere Literary Festival, and Essex Poetry Festival competitions.
She
was short-listed for the 2009 Virginia Prize and the 2014 International
Rubery Award and won the 2009 Proverse Prize. She has had work accepted
in the Edinburgh Review, Orbis and Wasafiri (UK), Takahe and Landfall
(NZ). She has judged the Sentinel Quarterly Short Story Competition.
Her
play ‘The Dummy Bride’ was part of the 1996 Wellington Fringe Festival
and her play ‘Sprout’ was part of the 2005 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
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