2 March 2002 | Vol. 2, No. 1

Because of This We Were Late, Everything Got Mixed Up. Later I Broke the Door. Or, The Leaving

I thought it was

odd at first. Take

off your clothes you

said, unbuttoning yours,

putting the Polaroid

on a timer


we laughed about what

would turn up. One


caught us

moving. But the other,


my hand touching you

lightly, chilled


we didn't expect any

thing so haunting


strangely like Masaccio.

About the author:

Lyn Lifshin's most recent prize-winning book is Before It's Light, winner of the Paterson Poetry Award. Originally published winter 1999-2000 by Black Sparrow press, following their publication of Cold Comfort in 1997, Before It's Light will be reprinted in 2001. Black Sparrow will continue to publish a series of her books including Blue Sheets in 2002. Lyn has published more than 100 books of poetry, won awards for her non-fiction, and edited 4 anthologies of women's writing including Tangled Vines, Ariadne's Thread, and Lips Unsealed. Her poetry has appeared in most literary magazines. Lyn is also the subject of an award-winning documentary film, Lyn Lifshin: Not Made of Glass, available from Women Make Movies. Her poem, 'No More Apologizing,' has been called 'among the most impressive documents of the women's poetry movement.' She can be reached online at lynlifshin.com.

For further reading:

See the complete list of work by Lyn Lifshin at 42opus. Browse the contents of 42opus Vol. 2, No. 1, where "Because of This We Were Late, Everything Got Mixed Up. Later I Broke the Door. Or, The Leaving" ran on March 2, 2002. List other work with these same labels: poetry.

42opus is an online magazine of the literary arts.

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