Mother Earth at the bar

Anna Swanson

Truth be told, sometimes she gets bored
of the bowing down, all that blessing her
with gentle hands. Come night
she wants to wade through a mess of hips and eyes

Truth be told, sometimes she gets bored
of the bowing down, all that blessing her
with gentle hands. Come night
she wants to wade through a mess of hips and eyes
in her finest leather and she wants to wear it
live: horns, hooves and fury intact.
She wants to walk into a bar
the way some people walk into a swamp—
everything pushes against you in the dark
and no one cares who you are.
Just for one night she doesn’t want to hear
voluptuous, fertile, abundant.
She wants someone to walk up to her
like a forest fire. Say to her:
You fine fat bitch of a woman,
I hope you like it up the ass.

Anna Swanson lives in Vancouver, where she is studying to be a librarian. Her poetry has been published in various journals, including GrainCV2PRISM InternationalThe Malahat ReviewPrairie Fire.

Pre-order our newest issue

Cover image for Room Magazine Issue 49.2, Science. Art by Candace Cosentino of an old-fashioned computer monitor with a bounty of dandelions growing from it.

ROOM 49.2 SCIENCE

I hope this issue makes you curious and furious, leads to 2 a.m. Wikipedia rabbit holes, fulfills urges to seek out knowledge-keepers. Quickly or slowly, dive in: -ologies of all varieties await you.

Order our previous issue

ROOM 49.1 No Future for Who?

In Room Magazine 49.1 No Future for Who?, we are really asking. We are coming in hot. We are causing a scene. We are being unreasonable. We are not fucking around. We are not taking “no” for an answer. “No” is the only word we still know. For who? For who? No.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Be the first to know about our contests, calls for submissions, and upcoming events.

* indicates required

Join us on Patreon

Become a RoomMate

Seeking members who love literature, events, merchandise, and supporting marginalized creators.


Visit our Store

Share This