{"id":2359,"date":"2021-01-31T23:19:11","date_gmt":"2021-01-31T23:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/oxmag\/?page_id=2359"},"modified":"2021-02-01T03:14:04","modified_gmt":"2021-02-01T03:14:04","slug":"when-it-is-red-by-nancy-lynee-woo","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/oxmag\/when-it-is-red-by-nancy-lynee-woo\/","title":{"rendered":"When It Is Red by Nancy Lyn\u00e9e Woo"},"content":{"rendered":"

The coil glowing on the stove
\n<\/span>warns you not to touch it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oven at 400, dancing around
\n<\/span>the kitchen, I sometimes worship<\/span><\/p>\n

apocalyptic woes\u2014cockroaches,
\n<\/span>tin roof rain, end of days. Myths<\/span><\/p>\n

of scrounging\u00a0for sugar, hiding
\n<\/span>friends\u00a0under fake floors. Preparing<\/span><\/p>\n

for the worst. I pull back the covers
\n<\/span>to see what\u2019s feeding on our sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sweating on the armpits of the apron,
\n<\/span>I can\u2019t claim to know one end of the book\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

from the other, history an ignition chamber
\n<\/span>I can\u2019t always count on. So I\u2019m waving\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

a wand of yellow roses to build up
\n<\/span>bullet-proof heaven, dreams of dill<\/span><\/p>\n

seed sprouting\u2014here, in the afterlife
\n<\/span>of heroes, where women lead the pack.<\/span><\/p>\n

True or false: I fired a shotgun once.
\n<\/span>It backfired before the power went out\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

in the country, all thirteen stripes
\n<\/span>Trumpeting: Great Whiteness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Imagine\u2014being buried alive
\n<\/span>with a TV and smart watch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Flushed cheeks, I\u2019d rather be caught
\n<\/span>scheming, crawling toward the interior.<\/span><\/p>\n

A belief is a delicate bloom. That lava
\n<\/span>exists is a fact I choose to accept.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore: strawberries, lip gloss,
\n<\/span>hot peppers and panic buttons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You learn to identify poison.
\n<\/span>You punch out of the box.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Nancy Lyn\u00e9e Woo spends her free time hitching a ride to the other side of maybe. She is an MFA candidate at Antioch University, the recipient of fellowships from PEN America, Arts Council for Long Beach, and Idyllwild Writers Week, and the author of two chapbooks. Find her cavorting around Long Beach, California, and online at <\/span>nancylyneewoo.com<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The coil glowing on the stove warns you not to touch it. Oven at 400, dancing around the kitchen, I sometimes worship apocalyptic woes\u2014cockroaches, tin roof rain, end of days. Myths of scrounging\u00a0for sugar, hiding friends\u00a0under fake floors. Preparing for the worst. I pull back the covers to see what\u2019s feeding on our sleep.\u00a0 Sweating … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “When It Is Red by Nancy Lyn\u00e9e Woo”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2310,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2359","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t