Carolina Quarterly 60.3

K ? < : 8 I F C @ E 8 H L 8 IK < I CP

Remember the exigencies of geography.

Five thousand people may be trapped by floods in Bangladesh, but when are five thousand people not dying in Bangladesh?

Think of the countries your protagonist would be able to identify on a map of the world. This might be many. This might be few. This is, either way, your outer. This is the plotline that will dog the protagonist.

This is the beast that rears its head. : 8 @ K C @ E ? F I I F : B J

Susan H. Maurer

John-Michael Bloomquist

Thorpe Moeckel

William Virgil Davis

Justin Perry

Haines Eason

Ole Pophal

Tina Egnoski

Linwood Rumney

Samar Fitzgerald

Andrea Scarpino

Scott Garson

Ronald Wallace

Stephen Germic

and more K?<

Jasmine V. Bailey

= 8 C C ) ' ( ' s M FC% - ' # E F% *

= < 8K L I @ E > 8 ; ; @ K @ F E 8 C N F I B 9P

0% ' ' = I < < K F L E : J K L ; < E K J

:8IFC@E8 HL8IK<ICP

= 8 C C ) ' ( ' @ J J L < s M F C % - ' # E F % *

G F < K IP s = @ : K @ F E s < J J 8PJ s I < M @ < N J

cq_coverfileFINAL5.indd 1

12/4/10 9:59:39 AM

P O E T RY

| F I C T I O N | E S S AY S | R E V I E W S

FALL 2010 ISSUE | V

OL

. 60, N

O

. 3

H A B I T U A L LY N A S C E N T S I N C E 1 9 4 8

The Carolina Quarterly is published three times per year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Subscription rates are $24 per year to individuals and $30 to institutions. Current single issues, back issues, and sample copies are $9 each. Remittance must be made by money order or check payable in U.S. funds. Numbers issued before Volume 21 (1969) can be ordered from Kraus Reprint Co., Route 100, Millwood, NY 10546.

O² o ²b ² YÂO½ n µ u b 8²½ O bµ 8 Y µµÂbµ O8 Fb F½8 bY n² - Èb²µ ½Ë O² o µ ½b² 8½ 8 V ¾ÏÏ ¢ 7bbF * 8YV РвF ²V 48106.

The Carolina Quarterly Éb O bµ µÂF µµ µ n  ÂF µ}bY oO½ V b½²ËV oO½ V F ²bÈ bɵV 8 Y u²8 } O 8²½¢ 8 µO² ½µ 8 Y bY ½ ² 8 or business correspondence should be addressed to the appropriate genre editor at The Carolina Quarterly, Greenlaw Hall CB #3520, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3520. No manuscript can be returned nor query answered unless accompanied by a stamped, selfaddressed envelope; no responsibility for loss or damage will be assumed.

We are also now accepting submissions through our website. We do not ²bÈ bÉ 8 µO² ½µ Y² u ½}b ½}µ n 8ËV  bV  ËV 8 Y ÐÂuµ½· n ² manuscripts submitted during the rest of the year, please allow four to six months for response.

The Carolina Quarterly µ YbÊbY ½}b *bÈ bÉ YbÊV ( b Yb²V YbÊ ½ (b² Y O8 O½ V  8 ½ bµ ½b² 8½ 8 b½bV 8 Y ½}b Ð Â8 F u²8 }Ë n u µ} 8 uÂ8ub 8 Y ½b²8½Â²b¢ b Fb²

²Y 8½ u  O n ½b²8²Ë 8u8Î bµ¢ ++ ÏÏÏg ¹¸ ¸¢ F²8²Ë n u²bµµ O8½8 uÂb O8²Y  Fb² pÁÏ s¾p¢

ABOVE | untitled

Michael Anderson COVER | 3 ²b 3bF

O N L I N E AT

www.theca r o l i n a q u a r ter l y. co m

Ole Pophal

FICTION EDITORS (} +8 Y O Yµ8Ë +½8²O FICTION READERS 8²8 b b½½ bb ²½ +8²8} (8² b² Jerrod Rosenbaum Ted Scheinman Ben Thompson ¢ 8 8² 3 µ Nate Young

POETRY EDITOR Matthew Harvey

INTERNS Ë 8 µ Bhumi Dalia Rebecca Hart в½}² 8 8O b +8 b bË O8 O b² Benjamin Miller 8½}8 (8½½ µ}8 Heather Van Wallendael

POETRY READERS Rachel Kiel Ð 8 bÈb½½ ART EDITORS Samantha Kiefer е 8 ²² µ COVER DESIGN (} O bb

Matthew Hotham | E D I TO R- I N - C H I E F

FOUNDED IN 1948 AT T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N O RT H C A R O L I N A – C H A PAEULTH HO I LRL N A M E

3

CONTENTS FALL 2010 | V

OL

. 60, N

O

. 3

P O E T RY 10

HAINES EASON | Old Woman, One Porch Down

Payphone Elk in Summer 17

JASMINE V. BAILEY | Â&#x20AC;Â?uoÂľ}b²

22

TINA EGNOSKI | Explorations of the Gulf Stream with

Notes on the Body Ill 23

STEPHEN GERMIC | Minerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Creek

33

JOHN-MICHAEL BLOOMQUIST | Bright Star

Preparing the Altar 36

LINWOOD RUMNEY| Low Tide in the Penobscot Bay

38

ANN RYAN | No Telling

39

WILLIAM VIRGIL DAVIS | Orchards

The African Violet The Helicopters 42

ANDREA SCARPINO | After the Stroke, Poplar Trees

Practice Runs 74

RONALD WALLACE | Occlusion

Memo to Myself Found in My Appointment Book 77

THORPE MOECKEL | Terra Sutra

95

SUSAN H. MAURER | Arte no es la vida. 1-31-08

FICTION 7

CAITLIN HORROCKS | Start With This

45

SAMAR FITZGERALD | Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a Big Success

78

SCOTT GARSON | The Goth of SecurityOne Field

NON-FICTION 24

JUSTIN PERRY | The Quiet

REVIEWS 96

BENJAMIN MILLER | Ziggurat FË (b½b² 8 8 8

A RT 6

APRIL DAI | Untitled

16

MICHAEL ANDERSON | vacancy

20

LACEY LAMBE | Madame and Monsieur Dubious

summertime 32

MICHAEL ANDERSON | untitled

44

MICHAEL ANDERSON | early june peas

72

LACEY LAMBE | Birthday for Rhino

Harmony’s Garden 94

MICHAEL ANDERSON | phone in motel lobby

98

Contributors

APRIL DAI

6

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

| Untitled

C AITLIN HORROCKS

Start With This Breaking news: someone trapped somewhere, inside of something.

Consider the practicalities of location, identity, quantity, likelihood of µÂ²È È8 ¢ Ð O} Y 8 Éb µ bnnbO½ ÈbV F½ Èb² 8ËbY¢ Ð µÂF 8² b O²bÉ¢ Ð u²  n b²µ¢ Ð Y u 8 µ½ ² Y²8 V b²}8 µV F½ ½}8½ É Â Y F8²b Ë 8 b ½}b O8 8 b²¢ ½ É Â Y ½ 8µµb²½ ½µb n ½ µ½² u Ë ½}b ²}˽} µ of daily life. Remember the exigencies of geography. Five thousand peo b 8Ë Fb ½²8 bY FË q Yµ 8 u 8Ybµ}V F½ É}b 8²b oÈb ½} µ8 Y people not dying in Bangladesh? Think of the countries your protagonist would be able to identify on a map of the world. This might be many. This might be few. This is, either way, your outer. This is the plotline that will dog the protagonist. This is the beast that rears its head. +}b µ É8 ½ u 8 } µ ½8 ¢ Ð O}²O}¢ Ð } b¢ Ð Ob µ½8½ ¢ Ð 8F ²½ O O¢ + 8 Ë O} Obµl ½ 8 bµ}8n½V ²  Yb²É8½b²V ² beneath fallen rubble. She lives a life beyond the raw wreckage of such events. The walls must be clean and tight, off-white or brightly colored. n µ}b µ ½²8 bY FË }b² O} Y²b V ½}b É8 µ 8Ë Fb 8² bY É ½} O²8Ë 8 Y µ½b² 8 ½V ½}b µÉbb½V bÊ8µ b²8½ u u²8no½ n ½}b²} Y¢ n µ}b µ ½²8 bY FË 8 FV µ} É Âµ ½}b q O b² u q ²bµOb Ob n noOb u}½µ¢ n her husband, there is the gusting pressure of his emotional absence, the } µb n n bÊ b µ Èb ½} uµ µ}b Y bµ ½ É µ} ½ 8F8 Y ¢ (b²}8 µ µ}b is trapped by her body, by illness or disability, by weight she cannot seem ½ µbV Ëb8²µ ½}8½ O8 ½ Fb µ½ bY¢ +}b  µ }b² n8Ob ½ 8 oµ½U Èb line, life line, fate line. This is the inner story.

Nothing actually happens in this story, not yet. She puts toast in the ½ 8µ½b²¢ +}b ½µ o bµ 8 o b Y²8Éb² 8 Y b 8 µ b 8 ¢ н  O}½ bV µ}b bb µ 8É8Ë ½}b nÂÎÎË µ n 8 b8O}¢ 3}b }b² ½bb½} } ½ ½}b ½V µ}b nbb µ the impact in her jaw, her eye sockets, the back of her brain. Her daughter has forgotten her lunch and the protagonist takes it to the school ofoOb µ½b8Y n bb½ u }b² µbO²b½ Èb²¢ ,}b²b µ 8 O½Â²b n 8 ½½b her desk, or her refrigerator, or the wallpaper of her cell phone. She does

C AITLIN H OR ROC K S

7

not really know how she feels about kittens. She is duty, uncertainty, regret, love and its miseries. She is the egg the author taps on. She can’t crack, not yet, not yet. But soon.

Several pages later, there is a scene something like this: in the al b²u µ½¯µ noObV µ}b É8 ½µ É ½} }b² Y8Âu}½b² n ² ½}b Y O½ ²¢ ,}b u ² µ receiving allergy shots, two each week, one in each arm. The shots are µÂ µbY ½ ²bYÂOb }b² µb µ ½ È ½Ë¢ Ð ½b bÈ µ µ µÂµ b YbY ½}b O ² b²V }b8ÈË 8 Y ²bO8² µ u¢ , Y8Ë ½ µ ½Â bY ½ ½}b bɵV q Yµ 8 far-off country: the raging of the waters, the remoteness of the region, the number of people who will die. She has followed this story only on radio, as she commutes or ferries the children. She sees the images now, the desperate crowds, the white sacks of food aid, the endless churning ÂY¢ Ð n8² b² µ½8 Yµ ²8uubY O ½}bµV Y²b O}bYV O ½O} u 8 n²8ËbY rope around the neck of what the bottom of the screen says is the last survivor of a hundred-head herd. They are on a little pimple of land, ½}b F² É É8½b² O²8É u ½ É8²Yµ ½}b ¢ Ð }b O ½b² µ µ Èb²}b8YV sending the water scudding outward in circumference. The cow bends its wind-pressed head and lows. Ë nb µ u YV ½}b ² ½8u µ½ ½} µ¢ ½ µ 8F Èb u²  YV Y²Ë¢ ½ is safe.

This is true, but meant to be ironic, and if the farmer is saved and she remains threatened by her own ennui, it is more ironic still. Or if the farmer dies and inspires her to leave her husband, that is an epiphany. Or ½}b n8² b² Y bµ 8 Y µ}b ²b8 Îbµ µ}b µ µ É Ë YË u ½ V F½ Y bµ ½} u to change her life. ½}b Y O½ ²¯µ noObV }b² Y8Âu}½b² Fbu µ ½ O²ËV ½}b u ² ¯µ 8² µÉb ing tight and hard against the allergen in the muscle. Stop, the woman almost says to the nurse, a needle poised above the other arm, but the poison is already inside the girl.

Or go ahead, the woman thinks, because she has feelings about her daughter that she never says out loud. The girl is her love and her poison both.

Or the woman says nothing. She levitates. She pulls out a laser gun and mows down the nurse. She grows bat wings, scaly and hooked. She

8

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

q bµ ½ Ð ½8²O½ O8 8 Y 8 µ½ ½ ½}b V µ½ n ² ½}b }b n ½¢ +}b }8µ her own television show where men compete to marry her, and try to impress her by giving her daughter extravagant gifts. She lives in a home with rooms with no particular purpose: great room, craft room, exercise room, spare room, other spare room, other other spare room. ,b²² F b ½} uµ }8 b ½ }b²V ½ V FbO8µb 8 oO½ ²b§Â ²bµ O q O½ 8 Y Éb É µ} ½  µ} O}8²8O½b²µ n ² ½}b ½b b² ½Ë n ½} uµ b bat wings. She has miscarriages. Her celebrity husband is unfaithful.

Her house burns down and out of all those rooms the only thing she is 8F b ½ ²bµOÂb µ 8 q8½ O É 8Yb n ½ uÂb Yb ²bµµ ²µ ½}8½ }b² Y8Âu}½b² made before she was eaten by an alligator during a family vacation to Florida. ½b²È bɵ µ}b µ ½ Y ½}8½ F8½ É uµ Éb²b bÈb² ²b8 µ½ OV 8 Y ½}8½ her television show must have been staged. Her celebrity husband leaves her. She clutches the tongue-depressor cow. +}b µ½8 Yµ ½}b F² ½ ½ É}b²b }b² } µb µbY ½ Fb 8 Y q8 µ her wings so fast they carry her through time. She visits those miners, that submarine crew, the dog in the storm drain, the farmer and his cow standing on a thin spit of land in the midst of rising waters. The whir of the helicopter on the news, all those years ago, was really her bat wings.

Their spread is enormous. She blots out the sun. She lands and puts her }8 Y ½}b Fb8µ½¯µ µbV µ½8 Yµ ½}b É8² ½} n ½µ }b8È u F²b8½}¢ ½ µ so afraid. There is nothing here but water and fear, human and animal.

Stand your ground, she tells them, because maybe you will die, and maybe you will not. We can be the same story, she says. Not stories nestled inside each other, the cyanidic pit tucked inside the peach, but ½}b bÊ8O½ µ8 b ½} u¢ Ð Y µ½ ² bµ ½}b²b µ}  Y Fb µÂO} ½} u 8µ impossibility.

C AITLIN H OR ROC K S

9

MICHAEL ANDERSON

16

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

| vacancy

T I N A E G NOSKI

Explorations of the Gulf Stream, with Notes on the Body Ill + É8² ½ ½ ÂO} b ½}b  n +½²b8 V ² Èb² É ½} Ob8 ¢ µO}bYule his pyelogram for Tuesday. Kidney waste, salt water, piss water. We sleep vociferously, wavy. During the procedure, dye (a submersible) en½b²µ } µ F Y µ½²b8 ¢ YY bµ 8 Y O²²b ½ Èb O ½ bµ 8²b b8µÂ²bY¢ , ½}b technician he says, Please don’t tell me again about the body’s dynamical equilibrium. Medicine loves a choke point: occlusion, pencil-lead-thin O8 8 ¢ Ðn½b² 8 } ²V 8 ½8µ½b n µ b ½ } µ ½ uÂb¢ 3b }8Èb Yb8 ½}b Y ²bO½ } µ Y µb8µb É ½8 bU 8F²8Y ² ²²b ½ ² ²½} н 8 ½ O ² n½ ² §Â8½ ² 8  ½b²O²²b ½¢ b 8 8 b²˵ ¢ b½b ² u µ½µ ½8 b } µ ½b b²8½Â²bV 8È u8½b ½}b o²µ½ µ u n channel fever. Columbus skirted the Gulf Stream by way of Samana Bay, Haiti, believing he had discovered Cathay.

Doctors and oceanographers consult the medical report. lt reads: q Y 8 ² ½8½ u F YË O b Obµ nn 8 b 8½½b²8µ 8 Y O ½ Âbµ north to the Grand Banks. Tumor as large as Newfoundland with the density of a water particle. Their suggestion: rest comfortably, plenty of q YµV ½8 b ½É n ½}bµb bÈb²Ë n ² } ²µ¢ Cheerfulness and bravery: concepts that enable scientists to separate emotion from fact. Dialysis or hypernephroma? Thirty million cubic meters of water cleanse the Florida Straits. Dreaming of Cipangu and b8u b µ½ bµV o ½}b ²bµO² ½ ¢ ²  ¢ +b8É8½b² µ ½}b µbÈb ½Ë percent solution.

22

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

J U ST IN P ERRY

The Quiet Young man anywhere, in whom something is welling up that makes you shiver, be grateful that no one knows you.

—Rainer Maria Rilke }8Y 8²² ÈbY +É ½Îb² 8 Y µ½ ½}8½ ² u 8 Y ½8 b 8 b8² Ë ½²8 n² 7² O} ½ b bÈ8¢ + b} É }8Y 8Yb ½ ½ ½}b ½µ ²½µ n the city with three pieces of luggage weighing together one-hundred and on½Ë  Yµ¢ µ8½ É 8 ² Fb O} ½}b µ}8Yb É8 ½ u n ² ½}b ½²8 into France, exhausted and ghostlike and strangely agitated, throwing µ} ²½F²b8Y ½ ½²b Y ½8 8 µ 8²² ɵ É ½} 8 µ ²½ n n8 µb µ ÂO 8 Ob¢ ÐO² µµ ½}b Fb O} 8 Y 8 Éb8² u 8 b8 u²bb F8µbF8 O8 8 Y chinos sat with his suitcase squarely in front of his legs. From his col ² u 8u bY }b u}½ }8Èb Fbb 8µ§Âb¢ b b µb É8µ É ½} µ on the bench or waiting on the platform. The station was small and ²Â Y É 8 Y ½}b²b Éb²b q Éb² u ÉbbYµ 8 u ½}b ½²8O µ¢ ½ É8µ Èb²Ë quiet there. ,}b Y 8 8 Y }8Y FË ½} µ ½ b bÊO}8 ubY u 8 Obµ Ob ² ½É ObV 8 Y }8È u uÂbµµbY ½}8½ }b u}½ µ b8 É ½} b ½² bY ½ u Èb the impression of intense activity with a book. This didn’t work: after another minute he called to me across the bench.

“Nos valises sont le même, n’est-ce pas?” he might have said.

“Comment?” ¬(8µ Yb ²8 Q8 µ¨ Ð u 8 µV b½ d½²b¨ Ð c² O8 ¨­ ¬Ð c² O8 V  ¢­ ¬ n O ²µbV Ð b² O8 ¢ µ8 Y ² F8uµ 8²b ½}b µ8 b¢­ ¬ µ ½}8½ ² u}½¨­ ¬5bµV Fb bÈb ½}bË 8²b¢­ b µ½ Y  8 Y É8 bY Èb² ½ b 8 Y looked over my suitcases. “Did you buy these at Costco in the US?” he 8µ bY¢ ½ Y } }8Y¢ ¬5bµV­ }b µ8 YV ¬ ½ µbb µ ½ b ½}bË 8²b bÊ8O½ Ë alike.”

24

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

WIL L IA M VIRGIL DAVIS

Orchards

b b½b²ËV µ8 YV 8 Y Ë Â corrected me—Churchyard.

You were right. But still the stones in their awkward rows reminded me of an old 8 b ²O}8²Y É}b²b µbY to play in the summers.

This winter, when we eat apples, we will remember you your death.

W I L L I A M VI RG I L DAVI S

39

The African Violet —for Nancy ½ O FbY O b½b Ë Â½ of its pot (left like a stranded crown of dirt) and rested— its delicate, velvety leaves 8 Y ½ Ë É} ½b q Éb²µ ½Â² bY toward the light—on the top n ½}b F O8µb 8 noOb with many windows, a room overrun with words and pictures.

40

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

MICHAEL ANDERSON

44

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

| early june peas

S AM A R F IT ZG ER ALD

You’re a Big Success 8µ }8Y YbO YbY 8u8 µ½ 8 µ½ ²b O µ u µ8 b¢ n ½} u b µb }b É8µ µ½ 8 8 n o b ½8µ½b¢ É É Â Y ½ U ½}b F u ²bY 8 Y É} ½b banner, the giant percentages frosted on glass? Tasteless, he thought, 8 Y 8 ² ² 8½b n ² 8 µ u µ} V É} O} 8µ½ u ²bµµ µ O¢ É8µ ½¢ µ½b8Y ½ É8µ ½}b 8µ½ µ 8 Fµ bµµ nnb² u Oµ½ ÎbY O µÂ b² printing solutions in north-central New Jersey. He had survived the enO² 8O} b ½ n ²8 b¯µ 8 Y ,}b (8 b² + ²ObV ½}b Fµ½ 38 +½²bb½ ½}b b8² Ë ÏµV bÈb 8 ½½ b È Ob Y8Ë ½²8Y u oÈb Ëb8²µ 8u ¢ n8O½V ½}b Ë Y O8½ ½}8½ 8µ½ u ²bµµ µ É8µ 8F ½ ½ µ}½ Y É É8µ ½}b Y µ8²²8Ë 8µ¯µ noObV É} O} } µ É nb 5È bV b8ub² ½ Èb ½ ½}b next stage of their lives, had started dismantling. Just weeks before clos uV 8µ O  Y µ½ O  ½ 8 ²bu 8² q É n Oµ½ b²µV µ½ n ½}b u ² µV F² YbµV qµ} É ½} ² µ bO½µ 8 Y O b ½b ½ 8 ¢ b bFF b 8 V É} }8 b bY ½ É8 ½ ½}b µ½ ²b b 8n½b² ¢ b² 8²b ½µi Âu 8 Y b b iÉb²b 8µ¯µ o²µ½ n² b Yµ Ð b² O8¢ u Fbn ²b 8µ 8 Y 5È b }8Y 8Yb ½}b ² É8ËV ½}b 8 µ ½ bY ½}b u²8 ½ O  b nn ½ n²bb ²8O§Âb½F8 8½ ½}b 5 ÐV and to the cheap and abundant pleasures of Chinese takeout. Forever 8µ É Â Y 8µµ O 8½b ½}b µÂu8²Ë µ 8 n 8 n ²½Â b O bV ½}b 8½½b Y8 ½ q8½½b u n 8 ½} É} ½b µ n 8 b²V É ½} ½}b 8 µU Âu ping the edible origami in his mouth while Helen read aloud everybody’s n ²½Â bµ¢ ,}b²b Éb²b ½}b F8nq u ½ 8½ µ n Y8 ub²U You may attend a party where strange customs prevail. The oddly beguiling tautologies: Your emotional nature is strong and emotional. Ð Y É}b b b É8µ done reading, there was always, unexpectedly, a whiff of solemnity that lingered as the bill was passed around. Ð ½}8½ É8µ 8 u ½ b 8u V } ÉbÈb²¢ 8µ }8Y ¯½ µ b É ½} b b ² Âu ²b ½}8 on½bb Ëb8²µ¢ µ O} Y²b i8 Y ²bµÂ 8F Ë the Gannons’—were grown and long out of the house. The point being ½}8½ 8µ Y Y ¯½ ²bO u Îb bFF b¢ b Y Y ¯½ ½ Ob ½}b µ 8 µV ½}b

S A M A R F I TZ G E R A L D

45

slender frame, the round eyes, so much like her mother’s. He did notice that she had this perpetually agitated, time-is-money way, and she kept snapping her cell-phone open and shut, open and shut. Her long black coat was draped over her shoulders like a cape, and when she fanned the 8 b 8 ½½ bV µ}b ²8Y 8½bY 8 µ n½V bÊ b µ Èb b²n b¢ 8µ µ bYV }bn½bY the catalogue of card stock onto the counter.

“Have you decided on a type of paper or a printing method?” he asked.

She shook her head and her eyes drifted to the photo of his family, } µ É nb 8 Y ½É O} Y²b 8½ 8 ½Y ² ²bµ½8²8 ½ bF8 V  ½bY ½}b É8 ¢ (² F8F Ë µ}b }8Y Yb½bO½bY } µ 8OOb ½i8 µ u}½ bY ½b²²8 b8 strain on the consonants, a tightness around the vowels. ¬3b V Y Ë Â b O ½b ²8²Ë ² ½²8Y ½ 8 Ybµ u µ¨­ ½ É8µ usually a good place to start. ¬+ b½} u O 8µµ OV Ybo ½b ËV­ µ}b µ8 Y¢ ¬ ½ ½ µ 8 ½}8½ b ple think this wedding is going to totally bankrupt us.” She looked up from the catalogue and smiled, “Which of course it is.”

He laughed along. “We certainly don’t want to bankrupt you.” The truth was, he had always liked these types, their particular tastes, their o 8 O 8 µ ÂO 8 Ob¢ b bY Fb u 8 8²½ n ½}b ² É ² Y¢ Ð Y É ½} ½ them, without their eye for imported Japanese linen and platinum bevel uV 8µ½ u ²bµµ µ O¢ É Â Y }8Èb Fbb ½} u¢ b É Â Y }8Èb been nothing. ¬ ½ µb² µ ËV É8 ½ ½ Y ½} µ bÊ8O½ Ë ² u}½V­ µ}b µ8 Y¢ ¬+ b little touch, something that people notice without being knocked over ½}b }b8YV Ë Â É¨­ +}b }b Y  8 o ub² 8 Y ½}b }b² }8 Y  ubY ½ 8 b8½}b² F8u ² Ë b Âu} n ² 8 Ébb b Y , Ë ¢ Ð b u8ub b ½ ² u q8µ}bYV 8 µ 8 µ} ½ u µ½8² Y µ8 b8² u ½ ½}b u}½ n her purse. She pulled out several prototypes: wedding invitations that she had received and held onto for this exact purpose. He moved the catalogue aside.

“Something like this here is very nice, very classic,” he said, producing his veteran-of-the trade expression—lower lip slightly protruding, bËbF² ɵ ²8 µbYi8 Y o ub² u b n ½}b È ½8½ µ µ}b 8 Y Fbn ²b him: a mid-weight ecru stock with deckled edge and charcoal engraving.

46

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

Black, or charcoal, in his opinion, were the best colors to show off the rich, Braille-like precision of engraving. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bo-ring,â&#x20AC;? Yvonne, his wife, Ă&#x2030;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;Â&#x2021;Y Âľ8Ă&#x2039;¢ Ă&#x201A;½ Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;8Âľ Ă&#x2030;8ÂľÂ?¯½ Â&#x20AC;Â?½Â&#x2018; 8Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021; ½}b nĂ&#x201A;Â?Â&#x2020;Ă&#x2039; OÂ&#x2018;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2018;² Â?8Â&#x20AC;²¾ ½}8½ ÂľÂ&#x2018; Â&#x160;8Â?Ă&#x2039; brides liked these days, blue ink on brown paper, plum on pistachio. Â? }Â&#x20AC;Âľ Â&#x160;Â&#x20AC;Â?YV ½}bÂľb Â&#x20AC;Â?Â?Â&#x2018;Ă&#x2C6;8½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2018;Â?Âľ O}b8Â?bÂ?bY ½}b Â&#x20AC;Â?Ă&#x2C6;Â&#x20AC;½8½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2018;Â?¾¢ n }b ½}Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;u}½ about it, it was all a little too much like decorating holiday cookies now, and it was just as well that he was on his way out. ÂŹ5bÂľV FĂ&#x201A;½ Â&#x20AC;Âľ ½}Â&#x20AC;Âľ }b8Ă&#x2C6;Ă&#x2039; bÂ?Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;u}¨­ Âľ}b Âľ8Â&#x20AC;YV ²b8O}Â&#x20AC;Â?u nÂ&#x2018;² Â?8Â?b²¢ ÂŹ Ă&#x2030;8Âľ ½}Â&#x20AC;Â?Â&#x2020;Â&#x20AC;Â?u ½}Â&#x20AC;ÂľV FĂ&#x201A;½ 8 Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;½½Â&#x2021;b }b8Ă&#x2C6;Â&#x20AC;b² Â&#x20AC;n Ă&#x2039;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;ÂŻĂ&#x2C6;b uÂ&#x2018;½ Â&#x20AC;½¢­ Â&#x2018;² q8Â&#x20AC;²V Âľ}b O}Â&#x2018;Âľb 8 ÂľÂ&#x160;8Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021; Â?Â&#x20AC;Â?b8Â?Â?Â&#x2021;bV ObÂ?½b²bY 8½ ½}b ½Â&#x2018;Â? Â&#x2018;n ½}b Â&#x20AC;Â?Ă&#x2C6;Â&#x20AC;½8½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2018;Â?¢ ÂŹ Ă&#x2030;8Âľ ½}Â&#x20AC;Â?Â&#x2020;Â&#x20AC;Â?u could repeat it on the napkins, the matchbooks, and the place cards too.

Can you do that kind of printing here?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can do that. Sure,â&#x20AC;? he told her. There was a time when he did what was needed to stay ahead. Yvonne signed him up for conferences, and he went, dutifully. He sat on hard folding metal chairs, balanced a stale Danish on one knee and a notebook on another, while some young female star lectured to a roomful of men like him about how brick and Â&#x160;Â&#x2018;²½8² Âľ}Â&#x2018;Â?Âľ Â?bbYbY ½Â&#x2018; Â&#x160;8Â&#x2020;b ½}bÂ&#x20AC;² Â?b8Ob Ă&#x2030;Â&#x20AC;½} ½}b Â?½b²Â?b½V ½Â&#x2018; ¾½Â&#x2018;Â? OÂ&#x2018;Ă&#x2030;ering in the shadows of their hulking, creaking printers. There were moÂ&#x160;bÂ?½¾ Ă&#x2030;}bÂ? ½}b O²Â&#x2018;Ă&#x2030;YÂľ Ă&#x2030;b²b ÂľÂ&#x2018; ÂľbÂ&#x2021;n YÂ&#x20AC;Â&#x160;Â&#x20AC;Â?Â&#x20AC;Âľ}Â&#x20AC;Â?u ½}8½ Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;8Âľ Ă&#x2030;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;Â&#x2021;Y Â&#x2021;Â&#x2018;Âľb }Â&#x20AC;Âľ 8Â?Â?b½Â&#x20AC;½bV b8½ Â&#x2018;Â?Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2039; 8 FÂ&#x20AC;½b Â&#x2018;n ½}b 8Â?Â&#x20AC;Âľ}¢ ÂŹ ½¯¾ O8Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021;bY 8Â? bĂ&#x160;Â&#x20AC;¾½bÂ?½Â&#x20AC;8Â&#x2021; O²Â&#x20AC;ÂľÂ&#x20AC;Âľ dad,â&#x20AC;? his son Bernard, then in his early years of graduate-school, would Âľ8Ă&#x2039; ½Â&#x2018; }Â&#x20AC;Â&#x160;¢ ÂŹ5Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A; Â&#x2020;Â?Â&#x2018;Ă&#x2030;V Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2020;b 8nÂ&#x2020;8¢­ Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;8Âľ OÂ&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;Â&#x2021;Y Â?bĂ&#x2C6;b² ½bÂ&#x2021;Â&#x2021; Â&#x20AC;n ½}Â&#x20AC;Âľ Ă&#x2030;8Âľ supposed to make him feel better or worse. But over the years, he tried most of the popular professional advice: he got personal with customers because websites couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, he partnered with other wedding-related Âľb²Ă&#x2C6;Â&#x20AC;ObÂľV 8Â?Y }b YÂ&#x20AC;Ă&#x2C6;b²¾Â&#x20AC;obYi½}Ă&#x201A;Âľ ½}b Â&#x160;8O}Â&#x20AC;Â?bÂľ Â&#x20AC;Â? }Â&#x20AC;Âľ Âľ}Â&#x2018;Â? ½}8½ OÂ&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;Â&#x2021;Y handle matchbooks and napkins.

When it was time to help her draft the wording of the invitations, Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;8Âľ ²bÂ&#x2021;8Ă&#x160;bY 8 Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;½½Â&#x2021;b¢ ,}Â&#x20AC;Âľ Â?8²½ }b ¾½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021; bÂ?Â&#x2026;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x2039;bY¢ â&#x20AC;&#x153;You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to draw attention to the actual words,â&#x20AC;? he exÂ?Â&#x2021;8Â&#x20AC;Â?bY ½Â&#x2018; ½}b uÂ&#x20AC;²Â&#x2021;¢ ÂŹ,}b Ă&#x2030;Â&#x2018;²YÂľ 8²b ½}b²b ½Â&#x2018; OÂ&#x2018;Â?Ă&#x2C6;bĂ&#x2039; 8 ÂľÂ?bOÂ&#x20AC;oO Â&#x160;b¾¾8ub¢­ For now, at least, no one was getting creative, rethinking â&#x20AC;&#x153;The honor of Ă&#x2039;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;² Â?²bÂľbÂ?Ob Â&#x20AC;Âľ ²b§Ă&#x201A;b¾½bYh¢­ ½ Ă&#x2030;8Âľ Â&#x2018;Â?Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2039; 8 Â&#x160;8½½b² Â&#x2018;n ½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x160;bV Â&#x2018;n OÂ&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;²¾b¢ Â&#x20AC;Âľ Y8Ă&#x201A;u}½b² Â&#x2021;Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;b 8Â?Y }b² bĂ&#x160; }8Y Ă&#x2030;²Â&#x20AC;½½bÂ? ½}bÂ&#x20AC;² Â&#x2018;Ă&#x2030;Â? Ă&#x2030;bYYÂ&#x20AC;Â?u Ă&#x2C6;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x2030;¾¢ Ă&#x201A;½ S A M A R F I TZ G E R A L D

47

8µ µ8É ½ 8µ } µ µµ ½ ²bµb²Èb ½}b Y b½ §Âb½½b¢ ,}b 8 }b }8Y purchased the press from had had only an inkling of invitation etiquette, µ 8µ }8Y bYÂO8½bY } µb nV O}bO u ½ F µ n² ½}b F²8²Ë¢ ² starters, there needed to be a layering of envelopes—an outer envelope that takes the stamp and a mailing address (absolutely no abbreviations), an inner envelope addressed as if you were hand-delivering the invitation, and a third, for guests to respond—like the layering of a wedding cake, he liked to say. For years, there he was, a foreigner, shining a light Ð b² O8 Oµ½ µ¢ Ð Y ½} µb É} O8 b ½ ½}b µ} bÈb² Y ÂF½bY him and nothing—perhaps not even his friendship with the Gannons— ever made him feel more deeply accepted. For Yvonne, it was one more sign that anything was possible in this place, that obstacles to success Éb²b Ë Âµ µV ½² O µ n 8 8ÎË F²8 ¢ ¬ ½} Ë Â¯ Fb b8µbY É ½} Ë Â² ²bµ½²8 ½V­ }b µ8 YV É}b ½}bË Éb²b o µ}bY¢ ¬ÐF ½ ½}b O ²µV b8 ¢ ½Éb ½Ë Ëb8²µV Ë Â É ¯½ Fb ½b u Ë Â²µb n ® É É}8½ ½}b }b É8µ ½} u¢¯ ­ She looked at him. His words, instead of comforting her, seemed to have an opposite affect. For a moment, she looked ready to reconsider everything, and it occurred to him that she perhaps did not trust his taste and preferences. He hastened to ask for her name and phone number.

“You can come for the proofs in three weeks,” he said. н o²µ½V µ}b nnb²bY }b² o8 Oc¯µ 8 bV ½}b O}8 ubY }b² Y¢ ¬ V Fb½½b² bb ½  Yb² Ë O²²b ½ 8 bV­ µ}b µ8 YV ¬ O8µb bbY ½ µb Y my mother over to pick them up.” ¬Ð Y ½}8½ É Â Y Fb¨­ “Gannon. Debbie Gannon.” b 8µbY¢ ¬Ð²b Ë Â Âu 8 Y b b ¯µ Y8Âu}½b²¨­ b bY 8½ the girl more closely, and then there it was: Helen’s familiar little pout, the marble eyes, the small frame. Helen had been just as pretty, but stingy with her looks, usually wearing loose jeans and t-shirts from hospitalsponsored fundraisers.

Debbie nodded, gathering up the samples she’d brought and tucking them into her bag. “You know my parents?” ¬3b µbY ½ Fb u Y n² b Yµ¢ 5  Y ¯½ ²b b Fb² b Y Ë Â¨­ 8µ µ8 Y¢ ¬,}b } µb bËV ½}b ½É n8 ˨ ,}8½ É8µ µ bʽ Y ²¢­ ½

48

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

was an old house with a long driveway, a shed that Doug had built in the back, and a woodpile that the kids were always climbing. ¬5 ² É nb µbY ½ F8F˵ ½V­ µ}b µ8 Y o 8 Ë¢ ¬3}b Ë ½}b² was at work.”

“Yvonne watched you, that’s right.”

She looked around the store with mild new interest. She said, “You’re the one who made that salad my dad loves, with the parsley and cracked wheat.” ¬ Ë É nbV 8O½Â8 Ë¢ +}b 8 bµ ½¢ ½ ËbµV Ë Â² Y8Y Y Y b ½V remember.” ¬ b FÂ˵ ½ 8 ½}b ½ b n² +} * ½b¢ ½½ b 8µ½ O O ½8 b²µ bʽ ½ ½}b } µ¢­ +}b F² Âu}½ }b² n ²bo ub² 8 Y ½} F ½ ub½}b²V demonstrating “little.”

“Oh.” ¬3b V ¯ ½b ½}b Ë Â µ8 Y } ¨­ +}b ubµ½Â²bY ½ É8²Y ½}b Y ²¢ “Wait, don’t go yet. How are your parents? Do they still live in the same house?” He shook his head unabashedly. What a fool, she must be thinking. But it was too much. “Helen and Doug’s daughter,” he re b8½bY¢ ¬ O8 ¯½ Fb bÈb ½¢­ She nodded indulgently and answered his questions. Her parents still lived on Finley. They tore down the partition recently, remodeled the whole thing. “Thank God,” she said. “Or else, there was no way we Éb²b }8È u ½}b ÉbYY u ½}b²b¢ µ½ ½} ½¯µ 8 F8Y Yb8¢­ +}b nnb²bY F² µ V bnoO b ½  Y8½bµ ½}b ²bµ½ n ½}b n8 Ë¢ b² 8Yopted brother was studying medicine. She herself was a banker in New York. Her father was scouting out land to build a summer home and her ½}b² }8Y ²b½ ²bY n² ²µ u¢ b µ}ÂnqbY ½}² Âu} } µ É nb¢ b mentioned that Yvonne was starting a catering company. He offered that his son, Bernard, was living in San Francisco. ¬ ²8YÂ8½b µO} V­ 8µ µ8 Y¢ b ² bY } µ bËbµ 8 Y bY 8½b Ë suffered a stab of guilt. But then he continued: “He’s studying anthropology, something to do with urban social networks and public trans ²½8½ ¢ b ½b µ b ½}8½ Ë u²8 YO} Y²b É ½}8 } ¢ Y ¯½ know.” He shrugged, tried to smile.

“That’s great,” she reassured him.

S A M A R F I TZ G E R A L D

49

LACEY LAMBE

72

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

| Birthday for Rhino

Harmonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden L AC E Y L A MBE

73

RONALD WAL L ACE

Occlusion This morning on my way out the door to fetch the morning newspaper, n  Y 8 ÂO Ë b Ë¢ 3}b b bY ½}b 8 b²  V 8 ½}b bɵ É8µ u Yl + Éb ½ ½ ½}b b Y Y ½ µ½V } bµ ½}8½ µ}b O  Y oÊ the bite a bad new dentist }8Y µO²bÉbY  ¢ }8Y ¯½ b8½b (comfortably, at least) in weeks.

My mouth was full of marbles, asymmetrical, askew. What can Ë Â Y ¨ 8µ bY }b²V 8 Y µ}b ground some high spots down with her trusty dental burr. ɯµ ½}8½¨ µ}b µ8 Y¢ ¯ bÊ b²½ OO µ ¢ ½ µ}b É8µl Ë F ½b É8µ 8 µ½ b²nbO½l went home and suited up Ë ½²8O 8 Y u8²Yb µÂ ½¢ ÉbbYbY Ë ² u u ² bµ¢ went for my afternoon run. For ½}b o²µ½ ½ b 8 Ëb8² o µ}bY the four miles without stopping. É8µ É Yb²nÂ Ë bÊ}8µ½bYV slick with sweat and exultation.

My wife was especially beautiful.

We went out to eat at Samba, É}b²b O½b ²8Î 8 F ˵ µb²ÈbY every kind of meat off

74

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

µ½bb 8 Y É Yb µ bÉb²µ¢ ½ É8µ ½}b o²µ½ b8µ8 ½ b8 ¯Y }8Y in weeks. So much for toothless diets. So much for mashed potatoes, jello, pudding, cream of wheat. ² u b ² V q8 µ½b8 V leg of lamb, roast beef. Here, take my lucky penny. You look b Ë Â O  Y µb ½l 5 ÂV ½ V can grace the headlines, you can be 8 }b8Y b²¢ Ð ½}b bɵ µ u Y¢ ¯ 8 8ÂY u É ½} Ë ½bb½}l

RO N A L D WA L L AC E

75

SCOT T GARSON

The Goth of SecurityOne Field ÐÂuµ½ V ÁÏ Ï Harlan Cichowski (¢ ¢ Ê g¸Á

 b b²V 2Ð ÁÁ¸Ï Brad Colliers 154 5th ÐÈb Âb Brooklyn, NY 11215 Dear Mr. Colliers: ²bOb ÈbY Ë Â² b½½b² n Â Ë ¸th 8 Y É8 ½ o²µ½ ½ nnb² 8 8 uË n ² what must seem my delay in response.

Secondly—and with all due respect to you, sir—it’s my feeling that you µ}  Y ² F8F Ë Fb µÂF bO½bY ½ ub ½ b 8Y µ} b ½¢ n ²b8 Ë Ë Â 8²b 8 F8µbF8 8 V Ë Â Âµ½  Yb²µ½8 Y ½}8½ É8µ b ½}b² ¬ b8Yb²­ ² ¬ Ë O} ­ n ½}b ®ÏÁ O ÂF¢ ,}µ µ½ ½8 b Ë Â² µ8Ë u µ 8µU Ð µ 8ObY O ²½bµË· ² 8 µ½8F 8½ q8½½b²ËiÉ} O}V µÂ µbV 8Ë Éb }8Èb hit the mark with others, but not with me. bÈb² 8OOb ½bY 8F ½ ˵b n É}8½ µ½8½ µ½ Oµ É Â Y }8Èb }8Y b Fb bÈbV ²¢ b²µ¢ Ð É8˵ nb ½ ½}8½ O  Y Y ²b 8 Y ² ÈbY ½}8½V ½} V ½}b µÂ b² 8 Y n8 n ®ÏÁV 8n½b² ½}b 28²u8µ ½²8Yb u8Èb b ½}b O}8 Ob ½ 8Ë bÈb²Ë Y8Ë ¢ е n ½}b µ ² u n ®ÏpV } ÉbÈb²V É}b ² bµ n ²ObY Ë ²b½ ²b b ½V u8Èb n²½}b² ²bµ µ½8 Ob ½ ½}b Èb²Y O½ 8 ²b8YË ²b 8²bYU ¯Y Fbb 8 O8²bb² F8O  V 8 nb½ b ¢ÁsÏ } ½½b² O ÂFµ ½}8½ Éb²b F8µ O8 Ë Â½ n O ½b ½ Fbn ²b ½}b Ð +½8² F²b8 ¢ ¯Y 8ËbY É ½} u²b8½ ² YbV 8 Y } ²8F ËV } bV F½ É ½} ½ Y µ½ O½ V  bµµ one takes your view and tries to make something of my having been the

78

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

“only man to close a mitt” on fastballs thrown by Osterbauer during an actual game.

Good luck with your book project, sir. Certainly his story is a tragic one. вb Ë Â 8É8²b ½}8½ É}b ½}8½ 8 b Éb ½ Y É }b¯Y ² F8F Ë ½}² É ²b ½}8 ¾ÏÏ ½O}bµ ½}b 8 ² b8uÂbµ¨ Y ÂO ½ Ë Â¢ Harlan Cichowski *

SCOT T G A R SON

79

ÐÂuµ½ gV ÁÏ Ï Harlan Cichowski (¢ ¢ Ê g¸Á

 b b²V 2Ð ÁÁ¸Ï Brad Colliers ps p½} ÐÈb Âb Brooklyn, NY 11215 Dear Mr. Colliers: 5  µ8Ë ½}8½ ½¯µ Ë Â² ¬ Ybµ½ } b­ ½}8½ É }8Èb O} Ob F½ ½ 8Y ²b Ë Â² b²µ µ½b Ob¢ µ ½ ½ 8 §Âbµ½ n É}b²b b²µ µ½b Ob µ 8 bY¨ By chance, however, you catch me during the cocktail hour, which brings an infusion of violet to the hemlock woods.

Madison Osterbauer. No player will ever be as great as the one from É} ½}b O}8 Ob ½ 8Ë µ µ½ b 8½ 8 b8² Ë 8ub¢ µ ½}8½ ½}b µ½ ²Ë¨ µÂ µb ½ µ¢ ² ½}b ½ b n Ë Â² §Âbµ½ µV nb²V 8µ Éb V 8 O 8½ to write a mystery book.

What might have caused the rookie “phenom”—the kid who had, in a matter of weeks, “captured the imagination of fans the world over”—to be so quietly dispensed with in a sudden off-season trade? You have my ½b²bµ½ ½}b²bV ²¢ b²µ¢ (b²}8 µ É}b Ë Â o 8 Ë µ Èb ½}8½ bV Ë Â could spend some time on my own. Why did they say that they loved me in Detroit? b Y8Ë É8µ 8²½ n ½}b ² 8 µ É8 bbV ½}b bʽ É8µ O b8² u my locker out. Why? ²u Èb b¢ н ½}b µ8 b ½ bV b½ b Fb O b8²U n ½}b bub Y n 8Y µ µ½b²F8Âb² }8µ ½ Fb F ½ ½ n µ bV Ë Â É V ¯ 8n²8 YV Fb n ²ObY to rely on others.

80

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

You ask about the defacement of the locker-room wall, for example. Yes, this happened. No, we never learned why. No one confessed. No one, in fact, was accused. n ½}b²b¯µ 8 ˽} u ²b ½ µ8Ë ½} µ µÂF bO½V ¯ ½ µÂ²b É}8½ ½}8½ might be.

3}8½ ¯ nnb²U ²b8 ½ bµ¢ ½}b o²µ½ n +b ½b Fb²V ÁÏÏÁV 8½ ½}b ½ b É}b ² µ½b²µ bÊ 8 YbYV Éb Éb²b bY FË ½}²bb 8Ëb²µ n² ² ,² b Ð O ÂF 8 Y b n²

ÂF b Ð + ² uob YV µ½b²F8Âb² Fb u ½}b ÂF b Ð uÂË¢ 5  µ}  Y understand something, Mr. Colliers: while it isn’t unheard of—a SeptemFb² O8  O u n² 8 ÂF b Ð ½b8 i ½ µ ¯½ ½}b ² V 8 Y ½}b²b µ ½}b O ÂF} µb É}8½ É Â Y O8 8  8²½ O 8½bY §Âbµ½ U É}ËV n ½}b Y µ µ ² µ uV }8µ }b ub²bY ÂF b Ð F8 ¨ 3}8½V ½} µ particular player, is management so eager to behold?

These were the questions which underlay the experience of seeing him n ² ½}b o²µ½ ½ b¢ b½ b 8µ Ë Â µ b½} uU Y Y Ë Â bÈb² µ½8 Y ½}b µ8 b ² É ½} Madison Osterbauer? Television distances oddities, renders them small 8 Y µ8nb¢ Y Ë Â µbb } ½}b qbµ}¨ ¬ }V V­ É8µ ½}b o²µ½ ²b8O½ n 8 8Ëb² É ½} É} ¯Y ² bY the road. “You’re kidding me. You are kidding me.”

What we saw: rail-thin kid, about seven foot tall; barbell piercing the somewhat sore-looking skin of a sparse blonde eyebrow; mess of dyed }8 ²·  µµ8F b Y8² bµµ ² u ½}b Éb½µ n } µ Éb² bËb Yµ¢ Ð Y ½}b trump card: black disc, like a tartar-sauce cap, in the stretched-out meat of his earlobe. ² É O ÂF} µb Éb µ8É ½} µ¢ SCOT T G A R SON

81

MICHAEL ANDERSON

94

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

| phone in motel lobby

S USA N H . M AUR ER

Arte no es la vida. 1-31-08 Sympathy for the piano. ½ µ µ 8 V µb µ8½b like a sleeping baby, imported from

} 8¢ ½ µ É Y 8 Y Ë Â can prop its lid up with a little piece n É Y¢ Ð Y }b¯µ }Âub 8 Y }b µ8˵ no, no, yes and smashes it with a red mallet. He is in a circle of salt and the pianos are delivered by a woman in German costume. b µ È µ ½bY FË ½}b b² 8 8 Y }bV O q O½bYV ² 8O½ u O q O½bYV FbO8µb }b ɵ ½}b ½O b µ8˵ yes, yes, no and no one in the audience is hit by the shards of shattered wood.

SUSAN H. MAURER

95

BENJA M IN M ILLER

Ziggurat

by Peter Balakian - Èb²µ ½Ë n } O8u (²bµµ 84 pages; $25.00 hardcover

(b½b² 8 8 8 ¯µ bÉ F V Ziggurat, juxtaposes the author’s memories of working as a mail runner in Downtown Manhattan during the O µ½²ÂO½ n ½}b ,É , Éb²µ É ½} ½}b F Y u n ½}b ²b8½ 7 uu²8½ at Ur four-thousand years ago. Using iconic art, dates, and pop-culture references, Balakian provides a backdrop for the towers’ rise and fall.

3 ½} 8 } µ½ ² O8 ²bO µ ½ n½b µbb O ½b ²8²Ë Ð b² O8 poetry, Ziggurat balances between the pain and strength that come with recollection.

Divided into three sections, the book spans from before 1963 until º ºÁÏÏ 8 Y ½µ 8n½b² 8½}i ½ 8½b Ë o Y u ½µ  µb ½}² Âu} ½}b b½¯µ µb n ²}˽} 8 Y 8ub¢ ,}b o²µ½ µbO½ ² È Ybµ 8 O½ ² 8 backdrop for the towers through a collage of Warhol paintings and events µÂO} 8µ ½}b 8Âu²8½ n (²bµ Yb ½ } µ 8 Y } b8 ¯µ 38½b²gate testimony. These poems build towards the second section, which O µ µ½µ b ½ ²b Ë n ½}b b O b ¬Ð ½²8 º 7 uu²8½º buË¢­ ,}b F O O ÂYbµ É ½} ½}b bÈb ½µ n º 8 Y Ð b² O8¯µ bnn ²½ ½ ²bF Y¢ b8O} poem, Balakian’s penchant for lengthy couplets adds kinship between his lines and a pace that pulls the reader forward towards the next line. ² µb  8 Èb²½ u n b˵ ½ ½}b 8 b u n 8 Y ÎbY 8   8 Y F Âb µ bY ½ É Y É 8 bµ· if the merging of writing and bureaucracy started urban life, if a city could levitate on arbitrage and junk bonds—

96

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

While his best poems uniquely blend the historical and the poetic, } µ Éb8 b² bµ nnb² ½}b b 8½}Ë n 8 o²µ½ }8 Y É ½ bµµ¢ 8 8 8 bÊplores this empathy through the vibrant images of the Warhol paintings }b Êbµ ½ ½}b }Âbµ n O ½Ë¢ 8O} µbO½ u8 µ b ½Â ½}² Âu} ½}b ²}˽} n ½}b u²b8½ O ½Ë¯µ 8O} b²ËU n² b bÈ8½ ²µ ½ ½}b Ð ,²8 ¢ 8 8 8 ¯µ b½ O 8 Y } µ½ ² O8 n ² o Yµ ½µ O 8½ } µ u b ¬Ð ,²8 º 7 uu²8½º buË¢­ and black hole of loneliness rose up in me. Ð Y É ½}b µ}8 u µ½²8 µ½8²½µ ½  ½ n  Fµ +½8½ ¢ “Omens,” said Ovid, “are wont to wait upon beginnings.”

You said: Poets are paranoid, apocalyptic style-drunk, sense-lusters, hypochondriacs.

With a mix of one-liners and historical depth, this poem incorporates 8 È8² b½Ë n n ² µ 8 Y ²}˽} µ ½ n É ½}b O µ½²ÂO½ n ½}b 7 uu²8½ at Ur and adapt it into an elegy for the World Trade Center Towers. The couplets build upon themselves until they begin to take other forms such as dialogue and the narration of communal memories.

Balakian’s book rebuilds conceptions of poetry as something his½ ² O8 Ë µ ½Â8½bYV ub b²8½ Ybo uV F½ O8 8 µ Fb b ËbY FË readers who didn’t live through the events described. The empathy and unity in the predominating couplets of Ziggurat ½ Ë Ybo b 8 culture that we share, but also embody the rebuilding of culture and life after a great tragedy. The human capacity to transcend is a theme that clings to the core of Balakian’s poem, uniting us today with the builders n ½}8½ o²µ½ u²b8½ ¬µ ˵O²8 b²­ 8½ -²¢

BENJAMIN MILLER

97

CONTRIBUTORS FALL 2010 | V

OL

. 60, N

O

. 3

MICHAEL ANDERSON is a Wisconsin photographer who focuses on 8µ½ ²8 8 YµO8 bµ 8 Y ½}b 8F8 Y bY µ 8Obµ ½}bË } Yb¢ (} ½ µ ½} µ journal were selected from The Things We Left Behind, a collection of images that examines the neglected underbelly of the entertainment industry of the Wisconsin Dells.

JASMINE V. BAILEY is the O’Connor Fellow in Creative Writing at Colu8½b - Èb²µ ½Ë 8 Y } Yµ 8 Ð n² ½}b - Èb²µ ½Ë n 2 ²u 8¢ b² poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in the minnesota review, 32 Poems, Rhino, The Portland Review, and other journals. Her chapbook, Sleep and What Precedes It, µ 8È8 8F b n² u b8n (²bµµ¢ JOHN-MICHAEL BLOOMQUIST works as a writing tutor and stud bµ b½²Ë 8½ в Î 8 +½8½b - Èb²µ ½Ë¢ µ É ² }8µ 8 µ 8 b8²bY bloodlotusjournal.com.

APRIL DAI µ O²²b ½ Ë 8 µ } ²b µ½ÂYË u 8½ ½}b 8²Ë 8 Y µ½ ½Â½b

bub n в½ 8 ½ ²b¢ +}b µ ²µ u 8 u²8 } O Ybµ u 8 ² É ½} a book arts and printmaking concentration. Her work incorporates }8 Yµ Ybµ u V ½bu²8½ u o b 8²½ 8 Y µ½² u Ybµ u ¢ +}b O8 Fb O ½8O½bY 8½ Ð ² 8 ¢ µDu 8 ¢O ¢ WILLIAM VIRGIL DAVIS’s most recent book is Landscape and Journey ÁÏÏ V É b² n ½}b bÉ ² ½b² ( b½²Ë (² Îb 8 Y ½}b b b ¢ + ½} b ² 8 ÐÉ8²Y n ² ( b½²Ë¢ b }8µ ÂF µ}bY ½}²bb ½}b² F µ of poetry: One Way to Reconstruct the Scene, which won the Yale Series n 5  ub² ( b½µ (² Îb· The Dark Hours, É} O} É ½}b 8 b (²bµµ

}8 F (² Îb· Winter Light. His poems appear regularly in leading journals. He has published in Poetry, The Nation, The Hudson Review,

98

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

The Georgia Review, The Gettysburg Review, The New Criterion, The Sewanee Review, The Atlantic Monthly, TriQuarterly, Harvard Review, PN Review, Southwest Review, and in many other journals. He has also Â?Ă&#x201A;FÂ&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;Âľ}bY }8Â&#x2021;n 8 YÂ&#x2018;Ă&#x17D;bÂ? FÂ&#x2018;Â&#x2018;Â&#x2020;Âľ Â&#x2018;n Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;½b²8²Ă&#x2039; O²Â&#x20AC;½Â&#x20AC;OÂ&#x20AC;ÂľÂ&#x160;V Â&#x160;Â&#x2018;¾½ ²bObÂ?½Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2039; R. S. Thomas: Poetry and Theology, as well as scores of critical essays. He is (²Â&#x2018;nb¾¾Â&#x2018;² Â&#x2018;n Â?uÂ&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;Âľ} 8Â?Y 3²Â&#x20AC;½b² Â&#x20AC;Â? *bÂľÂ&#x20AC;YbÂ?Ob 8½ 8Ă&#x2039;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2018;² -Â?Â&#x20AC;Ă&#x2C6;b²¾Â&#x20AC;½Ă&#x2039;¢ HAINES EASONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poems have appeared widely in journals such as Boston Review, Yale Review, New England Review, and American Letters & Commentary. He is a regular critic for Smartish Pace and American Book Review, 8Â?Y Â&#x20AC;Âľ 8Â? Ă?¾¾Â&#x2018;OÂ&#x20AC;8½b YÂ&#x20AC;½Â&#x2018;² Ă&#x2030;Â&#x20AC;½} Boulevard. Â? +Â?²Â&#x20AC;Â?uV 2010, his chapbook, A History of Waves, was selected by Mark Doty nÂ&#x2018;² 8 (Â&#x2018;b½²Ă&#x2039; +Â&#x2018;OÂ&#x20AC;b½Ă&#x2039; Â&#x2018;n Ă?Â&#x160;b²Â&#x20AC;O8 }8Â?FÂ&#x2018;Â&#x2018;Â&#x2020; bÂ&#x2021;Â&#x2021;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x2030;Âľ}Â&#x20AC;Â?¢ b ½b8O}bÂľ 8½ ½}b 8Â?Âľ8Âľ Â&#x20AC;½Ă&#x2039; Ă?²½ Â?¾½Â&#x20AC;½Ă&#x201A;½b¢ TINA EGNOSKI Â&#x20AC;Âľ oO½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2018;Â? Ă&#x2030;²Â&#x20AC;½b² 8Â?Y 8 Â?Â&#x2018;b½¢ b² Ă&#x2030;Â&#x2018;²Â&#x2020; }8Âľ FbbÂ? Â?Ă&#x201A;Flished in a number of literary journals, including Cimarron Review, FoÂ&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2018;V 8Ă&#x2030;8Â&#x20AC;Â&#x20AC; (8OÂ&#x20AC;oO *bĂ&#x2C6;Â&#x20AC;bĂ&#x2030;V and Louisville Review. She is the author of Perishables, 8 oO½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2018;Â? O}8Â?FÂ&#x2018;Â&#x2018;Â&#x2020; Â?Ă&#x201A;FÂ&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;Âľ}bY FĂ&#x2039; Â&#x2021;8OÂ&#x2020; 8Ă&#x2030;²bÂ?Ob (²b¾¾¢ Ă? Â?8½Â&#x20AC;Ă&#x2C6;b Â&#x2018;n Â&#x2021;Â&#x2018;²Â&#x20AC;Y8V Âľ}b OĂ&#x201A;²²bÂ?½Â&#x2021;Ă&#x2039; Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;Ă&#x2C6;bÂľ Â&#x20AC;Â? *}Â&#x2018;Yb ÂľÂ&#x2021;8Â?Y¢ SAMAR FARAH FITZGERALDÂŻÂľ oO½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2018;Â? Â&#x20AC;Âľ nÂ&#x2018;²½}OÂ&#x2018;Â&#x160;Â&#x20AC;Â?u Â&#x2018;² }8Âľ 8Â?Â?b8²bY Â&#x20AC;Â?

Story Quarterly, The Southern Review, The L Magazine, and Avery: An Anthology of New Fiction. She lives in Staunton, Virginia.

SCOTT GARSON edits Wigleaf, 8Â? Â&#x2018;Â?Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;Â?b Â&#x2026;Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;²Â?8Â&#x2021; Â&#x2018;n Ă&#x2C6;b²Ă&#x2039; Âľ}Â&#x2018;²½ oO½Â&#x20AC;Â&#x2018;Â?¢ He has stories in or coming from Unsaid, New York Tyrant, American Short Fiction and others.

STEPHEN GERMIC ½b8O}bÂľ Ă?Â&#x160;b²Â&#x20AC;O8Â? Â&#x2021;Â&#x20AC;½b²8½Ă&#x201A;²b 8½ *Â&#x2018;OÂ&#x2020;Ă&#x2039; Â&#x2018;Ă&#x201A;Â?½8Â&#x20AC;Â? Â&#x2018;Â&#x2021;lege in Billings, Montana. He is the author of American Green Â&#x; bĂ&#x160;Â&#x20AC;Â?uton Books, 2001), and his poetry and essays have appeared in numerous journals. He is currently working on a book-length poetry manuscript entitled Days of Rain and Ticks.

CO N TR I B U TO R S

99

CAITLIN HORROCKS’ debut short story collection, This Is Not Your City, is forthcoming from Sarabande Books. Stories from the collection appear in The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009, The Pushcart Prize XXXV, The Paris Review, and elsewhere. She teaches at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

LACEY LAMBE is an artist, illustrator, and mother currently residing in Chapel Hill, NC. She has always cherished children’s books, and her work has come from this love. Her work explores a diverse range n bY  µ 8 Y µ}b }8µ 8½b Ë o bY }b² } µb É ½} Y²8É uµ n + 8 bµb ½É µ 8 Y µ 8 µ¢ +}b }8µ 8 Fb8½ n µ V 8 Y 8 8 8Î u Ë ½8 ented, guitar-building husband. More of her work can be found at www.laceylambe.com.

SUSAN MAURER has been published in 16 countries. She has 6 little books and a full length, PERFECT DARK, has been published by ungovernable press.

THORPE MOECKEL teaches at Hollins University. His latest book is a long poem entitled Venison ½²ÂµO8 (²bµµ ÁÏ Ï ¢ JUSTIN PERRY is a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. He ²bOb ÈbY 8 ¢ ¢Ð¢ n² ½}b - Èb²µ ½Ë n ½²b 8 b ÁÏÏ ¢ LINWOOD RUMNEY’s poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Poetry Quarterly, Quercus Review, Seven Circle Press, and Potomac Review, among others. He is a 2010 recipient of a fellowship from the Writers’ Room of Boston and an emerging artist grant from the St. Botolph Club Foundation. He recently completed a stint as the poetry editor of Redivider. He teaches writing in Boston.

100

THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

ANN RYAN lives with her husband and two children outside of Frederick, Maryland. She writes poetry and essays when she can. She works n ² ½}b O8 µ u н} ² ½ËV O bO½ u ²bµ Yb ½µ É ½} bYÂO8½ and training opportunities. She has been previously published in The Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Wartime Issue.

ANDREA SCARPINO is the author of the chapbook The Grove Behind µ} u b (²bµµ ¢ +}b ½b8O}bµ É ½} ½}b - µ½ ½Â½b 8 Y - Èb²µ ½Ë¯µ } ²½ (}¢ ¢ ² u²8 ½b²Y µO 8²Ë +½ÂY bµ 8 Y µ 8 Ébb Ë contributor for the blog Planet of the Blind. Her current projects include learning to like snow.

RONALD WALLACE¯µ ½Éb Èb F µ n b½²ËV oO½ 8 Y O² ½ O µ clude Long for This World: New & Selected Poems and For a Limited Time Only: Poems, F ½} n² ½}b - Èb²µ ½Ë n ( ½½µF²u} (²bµµ¢ b co-directs the creative writing program at the University of Wisconsin 8Y µ 8 Y bY ½µ ½}b - Èb²µ ½Ë n 3 µO µ (²bµµ ( b½²Ë +b² bµ ² ½½ u}8 8 Y ( 8 (² Îbµ ¢ b Y È Ybµ } µ ½ b Fb½Ébb 8Y µ 8 Y 8 forty-acre farm in Bear Valley, Wisconsin.

CO N TR I B U TO R S

101

P O E T RY

| F I C T I O N | E S S AY S | R E V I E W S

Q U A R T E R LY P A T R O N S

The staff of The Carolina Quarterly wishes to thank ½}b n É u 8½² µ n ½}b 8u8Î b i

FACULT Y D ONORS Fred Hobson Thomas Reinert G UA RA N TORS

Brian & Michelle Carpenter Ð b ? 3 8 8² Howard Holsenbeck Grady Ormsby Richard Richardson Ð Fb² 2 ub *¢ Ð bÊ *8

SP ONSORS

102

Hunter C. Bourne

b F b Christine & Joseph Flora Jack W.C. Hagsrrom Kimball King Melissa Ross Matron Michael McFee Regina Oliver Ð 8²Ë + µ ? 8 Y + µ THE CAROLINA QUARTERLY

F RIENDS

8²b Ob ¢ ÐÈb²Ë Michael Chitwood William Nelson Davis Marianne Gingher Ð Ë Ð¢ b8 bË Ð µ µb } b ²ub b µ u Jim McQuaid Jack Raper Robert Shaw bnnb²Ë ¢ 3 8 µ

M E M B E RS

8²Ë  b² Michael Shilling Nancy C. Wooten

² µ Ob²b ½}8 µ u 8 µ ½ ½}b noOb n ½}b (² È µ½ 8 Y 2 Ob }8 Ob ² n ² ÐO8Yb O Ðnn8 ²µV 8² 8 b8Yb²µ} bÈb b ½V ½}b  ¯µ b8Y µ} V ½}b ²u8 8 Ë 3² ½b² *bµ Yb Ob (² u²8 V ½}b -

}8 b

²b8½ Èb 3² ½ u (² u²8 V ½}b -

}8 b u µ} b 8²½ b ½V ½}b +½ÂYb ½ nb }8 Ob b ½  Y ½}b -

}8 b +½ÂYb ½ Ðnn8 ²µ noObV 8 Y ½}b -

}8 b в½µ 8 Y +O b Obµ n ² 8½ Service.

8²½ O 8² Éb É µ} ½ ½}8 ²bY Fµ 8 Y (8 ²F8 n ² ½}b ² ub b² µ µÂ ²½ n ² 8u8Î bV 8µ Éb 8µ ½}b *b}Yb²º b½½µ  Y ½}b -

²b8½ Èb 3² ½ u (² u²8 ¢ PAT RO N S

103

K ? < : 8 I F C @ E 8 H L 8 IK < I CP

Remember the exigencies of geography.

Five thousand people may be trapped by floods in Bangladesh, but when are five thousand people not dying in Bangladesh?

Think of the countries your protagonist would be able to identify on a map of the world. This might be many. This might be few. This is, either way, your outer. This is the plotline that will dog the protagonist.

This is the beast that rears its head. : 8 @ K C @ E ? F I I F : B J

Susan H. Maurer

John-Michael Bloomquist

Thorpe Moeckel

William Virgil Davis

Justin Perry

Haines Eason

Ole Pophal

Tina Egnoski

Linwood Rumney

Samar Fitzgerald

Andrea Scarpino

Scott Garson

Ronald Wallace

Stephen Germic

and more K?<

Jasmine V. Bailey

= 8 C C ) ' ( ' s M FC% - ' # E F% *

= < 8K L I @ E > 8 ; ; @ K @ F E 8 C N F I B 9P

0% ' ' = I < < K F L E : J K L ; < E K J

:8IFC@E8 HL8IK<ICP

= 8 C C ) ' ( ' @ J J L < s M F C % - ' # E F % *

G F < K IP s = @ : K @ F E s < J J 8PJ s I < M @ < N J

cq_coverfileFINAL5.indd 1

12/4/10 9:59:39 AM