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T.C. Anderson
/ Meet Our Fire /
As this world falls to the whims of the gods,
let us know love like a tattoo on our tongue,
let us cover silence with the cries of new joy,
let us be stronger than the winds that bear us down,
let us refuse the hands that thieve our glory,
let us stand proudly in the shadow of the star.
Let us tell all those who aim to part us
that the white flag is tinder to our flames.
Come… meet our fire.
/ Sand on Skin /
What light through yonder window breaks?
He is not the East and Juliet not the sun.
But lo, this heat on flesh
like a desert praying for rain only she commands,
envious and green of the cloud’s tears,
every drop a blessing granted from her fingertips.
This sand on skin shall be the silk that
coats me ‘til this goddess’s sorrows shall
flood the window’s gate and ravish me in the
glory of the heavens.
/ I Felt Something /
I felt something.
A twitter / a beat / a shatter / a heat
A moment / a star / a sigh / a scar
A drowning / a lie / a touch / a cry
A pressure / a death / a danger / a breath
and it was for someone other than you.
Maybe that’s okay.
Maybe our souls aren’t tied to just one
twitter / beat / shatter / or heat
moment / star / sigh / or scar
drowning / lie / touch / or cry
pressure / death / danger / or breath.
Maybe that’s okay,
because my soul will always come home to
you.
Poet's Description for "Meet Our Fire"
"Meet Our Fire" was penned during the winter storms Uri and Viola that swept through the state of Texas in February 2021. The record-breaking storms, which left millions without power and heat, did two things: raised questions about the preparedness of the state to protect its populace from changes in climate, and exhibited the resilience and fortitude of Texans during such an unexpected time. As someone who was witnessed the storms firsthand, I grew inspired by the strength my home state showed and how we came together to help one another in our time of need.
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Written by : T. C. Anderson
Painting : The Place de la Madeleine under Snow, Paris (Eugene Galien-Laloue, 1918)
T.C. Anderson
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T.C. Anderson is a Houston-based writer and artist with work published in Sunday Mornings at the River, Capsule Stories, Pages Penned in Pandemic: A Collective, The Raven Review, and more. Her poetry collection, The Forest, published in 2021, serves as the inspirational basis of a titular art installation with artist Mari Omori premiering in 2022. Her artistic and collaborative work has been shown in several local art galleries, as well as online and internationally. A graphic and multimedia design professional, Anderson holds a B.A. in Graphic Design & Media Arts from Southern New Hampshire University.
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Website: thetcanderson.com
Instagram: @thetcanderson