Iowa Writes

SABRINA ORAH MARK
Non Vixit


Late one night I enter the laboratory. There is only one animal. There is less of it now and more of other animals, but there is only one animal. Something is waiting for me inside this experiment. I want for it a language. I want for it a little evidence. There is only one animal. I study it from far behind the magnifying glass. It is biting on a Z with many zeroes after it. There is less of it now and more of other animals, but there is only one animal. Ladders we carry to see how far the ladder takes us. Machines we build to feel the sadness of machines. When I pull the cord there is only one animal. Do not be afraid, you are its world.

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


SABRINA ORAH MARK

Sabrina Orah Mark received her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop in 2001. "Non Vixit" is from The Babies, winner of the Saturnalia Books Poetry Prize and published by Saturnalia in 2004.

Saturnalia site

This page was first displayed
on September 15, 2008

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