Welcome to SWWIM Every Day’s preview coverage of Miami Book Fair (MBF) 2022! The poets whose work you’ll be reading every weekday from October 15 through November 15 are just a few of the many authors from around the world participating in this year’s MBF, the nation’s largest gathering of writers and readers of all ages. They all look forward to sharing their work, thoughts, and ideas both in person and online. Between November 13-20, new poet conversations and readings will be launched and available for free on miamibookfaironline.com (in addition to other content). For more information, visit the website and follow MBF on Instagram and Twitter at @miamibookfair and use the hashtag #miamibookfair2022.
Farewell, romantic sacrifice: I choose myself. Some can only love once. How true will it be? I love sequins, but get the sequence confused. At our end, I broke from her & every face grew stranger. Stranger, speak to me like light through a veil. Like a spent match the darlings turn to find me & I fade into the glitter. A sequoia has every vowel. Every vow like a closed hand. When I’ve worn my body down from dancing, I still point to the sky. I will honor my body, my only. My only body, its honor, my will.
Shelley Wong is the author of As She Appears (YesYes Books), winner of the Pamet River Prize and longlisted for the 2022 National Book Award. She lives in San Francisco.
“Refrain” is reprinted from As She Appears (YesYes Books, 2022). The author grants permission.
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