Susan McLean
She Wears an Opera Cape to Junior High
Was she brought up by Martians? No, just odd.
She hasn't had a friend since second grade,
which means she's flying blind. She wears her father's
dog tags as a necklace, wears her mother's
medieval-looking belt. She's trying on
identities. She wears a hand-me-down
green satin cocktail dress to her first dance.
She's twelve. No boy comes near her even once.
She tries a side part, like Veronica Lake.
Wearing that cowbell, though, was a mistake
she doesn't make again. Why advertise
that she's a social leper? Still, she tries.
Shortlisted
I like short men. They don't gaze from on high
at you, as if you're far beneath their ken.
Equality is easier eye to eye.
I like short men.
Because they know how falcons view a wren,
they hone their wits and humor (often wry)
and don't seek out a fight. Though, now and then,
a few cut others down to magnify
themselves, it seems that most, from having been
bullied, learn empathy—which may be why
I like short men.
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| Avila Gray is a self-taught illustrator, specialising in fine ink pen and watercolour paintings. Avi is based in Sydney, Australia, where she operates a stationery business called Erlenmeyer, selling art prints, greeting cards, playing cards, stickers and colouring books. Erlenmeyer is also the name of Avi's storytelling animal kingdom; a futuristic utopia where sentient creatures live in harmony across 12 cities on Earth. All of the compositions from her illustrative range depict snapshots from this story; her body of work shows the animal characters that colour the Erlenmeyer world, as well as their culture, values and how they live. Avi has been selling her illustrations and products since 2014 and became a resident at Australia’s iconic Rocks Market for many years, developing a loyal customer base and social media following. After several years of trade shows in Sydney and London, her designs can now be found in more than 80 shops worldwide. Many of Avi's designs are licensed by the international greeting card company, Moonpig.
For additional information, please visit www.erlenmeyer.com.au.
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