On Getting Your Body Back by Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang

July 18, 2022
Poet name: On Getting Your Body Back Poem name: Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang Poem: Your body never went away: loyal Labrador, carrying a child like a duck in its soft mouth. It comes to you now, after months in the bush, it comes to you full of burrs and the soft pads of its feet torn to shreds, every muscle sore from miles in sun-tipped forests and dark bogs, from sprints as it scented life and chased it for you, your body rich with the scent of blood and effort, happy to lay finally in front of the fire. Even still it serves at your softest command, even still it rises when you beckon, most loyal, beautiful body – who aches only for your love. End of poem. Credits and bio: Copyright © Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang is the author of the poetry books Status Update (2013), which was nominated for the Pat Lowther Award and the Gerald Lampert award winning Sweet Devilry (2011). Her new book, Grappling Hook, is available with Palimpsest Press. Her work has appeared in Best Canadian Poetry (2013, 2020, 2021) and Best of the Best Canadian Poetry. She is the editor of the poetry collection, Desperately Seeking Susans (2013) and the Poetry Editor for Arc Poetry Magazine.