Week One
Read the poem “Encoded Anatomies” by Arianne True
Arianne True: I wrote this when I had my first huge crash with undiagnosed Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). I wanted to use cephalopod anatomy as a
poetic structure in something and I felt like an octopus trying to walk on land, so it seemed like a good fit. There are two versions of the last section: an original
one and the version that’s published that replaced it a year later. What I wanted from the poem changed as I was reading it in community and as time passed. It’s
scary not knowing why your body suddenly doesn’t work the same, especially if it’s a dramatic change. We didn’t know if I was dying or what. I remained
under-diagnosed, not getting a full picture of what was going on, for five more years.
Writing Prompt: Are there any animals that move the same way you do? Write a poem that both you and that animal are in.
Alternatively, what’s a time when things were uncertain with your health or the health of someone you love? Or someone you know, like a classmate or colleague? Write about it and how that felt. Don’t try to “fix” it, just feel it.
