She Who Speaks Whale-Tongue
By Emily Bobo

I am the record keeper,
singing songs of the ocean.
I sing the history of Mother.

I am not she.

I am sister, wife, lover, friend.
I am traitor, teller, bankrupt songster.
I am a collector of peoples,

pieces of story.

I am the one who sits quiet in deep water,
the one you don’t notice not-breathing,
the one slowly absorbing you.

— Emily Bobo is a writer living in Lawrence. Poet’s Showcase features work by area poets. Submit your poetry via e-mail with a subject line of Poet’s Showcase to mpaget@ljworld.com or send typewritten (not handwritten) submissions to Mindie Paget, 645 N.H., Lawrence 66044, attn: Poet’s Showcase. Teen writers should submit their work to the 18 & Under page at teens@ljworld.com.