Once driven by need, now I go thrifting for sport. In Women’s Clothing I sort through pre-owned blouses, handbags, shoes; survey cook-pots, toasters, bins of kitchen utensils in Housewares. The woman beside me fingers wooden spoons, mismatched cutlery, a wire whisk; lifts a mixing bowl, sets it down, hefts chunky […]
Johanna DeMay
Johanna DeMay grew up in Mexico City, the bilingual child of American parents. Early on, she began writing poems to bring her two worlds together. Resettled in New Mexico, she made her living for forty years as a studio potter. Now retired, she writes and volunteers with the immigrant community, tutoring ESL students and new residents as they prepare to take their citizenship exams. Many of her poems reflect experiences of dislocation—her own and those of the people with whom she works. Her poems have appeared in numerous literary journals and three anthologies. “All Diaspora’s Children,” a collection of new poems, is forthcoming from Kelsay Books in 2025.
20 Pages, 100 Questions
APPLICATION for NATURALIZATION In Cuidad Juarez pretty girls are prey. Twenty-five years ago Alma fled north. Volunteer tutor, I help her fill in the blanks. Have you ever been a habitual drunkard? ______ Have you ever committed a crime, served […]