The Greatest Minds
Introduce an idea to congratulate themselves
For the thought
Ruin ruin ruin
Ask a question
Answer themselves
Stand alone in a funhouse full of cracked mirrors
Agree with our premises
Lack context or evidence
Let righteousness sketch a simplistic self-portrait
Write in my lexicon
Speak my exact dialect
Walk talk dress act the same
Live indistinguishable like zebra
One stops one starts one stops
One starts one
Stops
*
Artist statement: The life and death of Jason Arday are actively haunting me. Both the higher education system and large swaths of the literary community wield a distinct authoritative power to propel, incentivize, exile, and fail people. I wonder how we can hold each other accountable without assuming a moral high ground.
A special thanks to Allison C. Macy-Steines, PACT Editor, for your keen attention and thoughtful editorial eye on this piece, and on all of PACT’s work. 😻
Beautiful. Important piece, on a subject we can all care about. Afterall, what is good literary citizenship?
With gratitude, Susan Odgers
Hella yeah