‘Climate grief’ by McKenna Faulkner

How are we supposed to dance 
together. I refuse to stomp my feet 
unless you’re around. I will only break my ribs 
laughing if you laugh, too. 
How can I kiss another mouth 
if nothing is being sung. I will cry 
only if you do, too. I will slash my tires 
to be with you. I will not learn to run 
unless to carry you. I will not learn to dance 
alone beneath the moonlight: the night will devour 
me. Without you, the gentle breeze 
poisons. Me, without you, still breathing, 
though I do not want to.

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Meet the Poet!

McKenna Faulkner is an American-Dutch poet and writer currently studying Creative Writing at Oxford. She writes and publishes in both English and Dutch, featuring in magazines such as Absint and Tijdschrift Ei. Her work touches upon topics such as multilingualism, mental health, and ecology, almost always with a touch of fantasy. She is currently working on a debut novel and learning to play the violin.