Stevie Edwards

Stevie Edwards holds a PhD in creative writing from University of North Texas and an MFA in poetry from Cornell University. Stevie’s poems have appeared in Poetry Magazine, American Poetry Review, TriQuarterly, and elsewhere. She is a Lecturer at Clemson University and author of Sadness Workshop (Button Poetry, 2018), Humanly (Small Doggies Press, 2015), and Good Grief (Write Bloody Publishing, 2012). Edwards is currently Poetry Editor of The South Carolina Review and her third full-length collection of poetry, Quiet Armor, is forthcoming from Northwestern University Press’s Curbstone imprint. Originally a Michigander, she now lives in South Carolina with her husband and a small herd of rescue pitbulls (Daisy, Tinkerbell, and Peaches). Stevie uses she/they pronouns.

But Nothing's Fair After Love

Because I was a bad finger to tie his ribbon to.

Because I was a bad sky

to look up at—

not ugly, but bad. Because I threw myself

into myself. Because I threw

the sky into a suitcase

I left in New York. Because I never learned

to drive myself. Because I needed

a guide out of the woods. Because I lost

my way, sat down in the middle of brambles

so high above my head but didn’t say

come, didn’t say come get me, not once.

Because he said take care of yourself

on the voicemail I deleted.

Because I thought that was taking care

of myself. Because I was cruel with honey,

lured in the ants to squash. I can’t

resent them for coming.

I can’t even step out of my bedroom without

ruining my shoes: I am the wrecking ball

and the closed factory. I am what swings.

Published:

2015

Length:

Regular

Literary Movements:

Contemporary

Anthology Years:

2023

Themes:

Love & Relationships