Iowa Writes

LAUREL SNYDER
Was a woman


Once upon a time was a woman.
In the night it began to rain milk.
From the corners, from the eaves.
Once upon a time was ago, gone.

In the morning, the baby wakes.
In the afternoon, the baby wakes.
In the evening, the baby wakes
Me from my day and I lie down.

My hair is falling from the braid.
I put my hair in a braid to keep it.
My hair is falling and with the back
Of my hand I push it back, keep it.

Hair is falling baby is falling milk
Is falling and I am catching them all
And into the day they go and the day
Is smelling like milk. I want to keep it.

There is a thin crack in the roof and so
The wall rots a little each day, softens.
The wall is softening. There is a hole
And I want to keep it. I'm sleepy.

Once upon a time was a woman who
Began to rain, soften. Once upon a time
Was a corner that began to crack. Once
Upon a time was ago, but ended sweetly.

About Iowa Writes

Since 2006, Iowa Writes has featured the work of Iowa-identified writers (whether they have Iowa roots or live here now) and work published by Iowa journals and publishers on The Daily Palette. Iowa Writes features poetry, fiction, or nonfiction twice a week on the Palette.

In November of 2008, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Iowa City, Iowa, the world's third City of Literature, making the community part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Iowa City has joined Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia as UNESCO Cities of Literature.

Find out more about submitting by contacting iowa-writes@uiowa.edu


LAUREL SNYDER

Laurel Snyder moved to Iowa for the Writers' Workshop but stayed long after, waiting tables at the Hamburg Inn and ultimately marrying an Iowa boy. She has written a picture book, Inside the Slidy Diner, loosely based on her experiences at the 'Burg, and she is at work on a novel, Any Which Wall, set in "Quiet Falls, IA," a town suspiciously reminiscent of Iowa City.

This page was first displayed
on November 08, 2007

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