Dictionary of wanting

by Isabella Barricklow


Smoke.
Definition:
     1.   The rain’s meditative exhale.
     2.   Trail toward ash, toward brightness.
Synonyms:
            Tornado, your grandmother’s hair,
            disappearance.
Antonyms:
            Pasture, whistle, atmosphere.


Bone.
Definition:
     1.   Hollow sticks tenuously stacked
           into the shape of animal.
     2.   Ghost that only appears when we’ve
           failed or something’s failed us.
           We are all the same.
Synonyms:
            Candle, butterfly, empty road at night.
Antonyms:
            Broth, breath, bruise, S.E. Hinton’s Outsiders.


Rot.
Definition:
     1.   Shadow of carnivorous
           bird over your shoulder.
Synonyms:
            Kaleidoscope, honeycomb,
            dirt beneath pine tree.
Antonyms:
            Smell of a red moon’s craters,
            pale cheek going hollow overnight,
            luck, as the difference between eyelash
            and stray eyebrow hair.


Palm.
Definition:
     1.   Jar for everything you want to remember.
     2.   A different word for air.
     3.   Offering words in the shape
of skin.
     4.   Apology.
Synonyms:
            Bottom lip against teeth, sigh, dusk,
            glass bottle of bourbon on the last
            shelf: 1972.
Antonyms:
            Tree trunk, full bathtub, blink, tomorrow.


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