My grandmother’s hair is polar bear fur—
did you know their fur is clear but
reflects the snow’s whiteness? Me,
my mother, my grandmother, all
watch our breath in the buzzing
kitchen light. I yawn, and my grandmother
says, “what a big mouth you have,”
and my mother laughs a cracking-ice laugh.
The table travels
up my arm and freezes
my vertebrae. Now when I yawn
I cover my mouth and my wooden
skin reflects lamplight.
Claire Cooper is a junior studying industrial design with a minor in creative writing at Auburn University. Her work has appeared in Watershed Review. When she isn’t studying, Claire enjoys cleaning and repairing typewriters, getting coffee with friends, and exploring small shops.
Related
