I Can’t Be the Only One

Michele Lent Hirsch

who secretly thrilled to Ursula
who shared her envy

of that underwater voice
and wanted nothing more

than to throat it. To swallow.
To use it however we liked. We,

the ones who tried to belt
some mournful song but heard just

screechy child warbles, nothing
sultry. Who compensated with

soulful looks in the mirror
before we knew what soulful looks

even were. Who scorned the princess-
crazed girls, their saturated pinks.

Who knew our fear of the villain
wasn’t fear, but longing.

Michele Lent Hirsch is a journalist, editor, and poet. Her poetry has appeared in Rattle, Bellevue Literary Review, Canary, and Spillway, and her non-fiction in The Atlantic, Psychology Today, Women Under Siege, and Smithsonian Magazine, where she is a regular online contributor. She lives and works in New York.

Currently on Newsstands

ROOM 47.4 FULL CIRCLE
Step back with Room into the past, to parents, to childhood homes, and to people once known and loved; dig into themes of grief and healing; and ultimately explore what it means to come full circle in literature.

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