Masterpiece- mixed paint (a shade without a name)
I am the horned one, the loud and greedy imp
I come from pogroms and shtetls and black market souvenirs
Yellow rice, plantains, and a Wall Street Latino
Old words; old like trees, old like hate
Mispronounced faith, stolen and demonized
every Jew you’ve ever met
I am the witch, the weird, the what
the party game, the either-or
Purgatory and grey
Not enough and too much
I am the alien that haunts the corner-
The Queen of Wands
Awake and alone, I count my words
like items for auction
I sell my parts for compliments
My body is claimed, stamped
I am light-
perception itself.
Liora Hassan is a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. They use she/they pronouns and the various aspects of their identity play an integral role in their work. Liora has a B.A. in English Writing and is passionate about the intersection of education and spirituality. She primarily writes poetry and fiction but dabbles in visual mediums as well.