by Kristie L. Williams
I asked you to use
flyer miles
before
I am locked
in the circumstance
of my body
betrayed
by disabled limbs
whose only function
is to subtract
autonomy
by degrees
you suggest we facetime
while I count
random variants
on crooked fingers
terrified by how
my freedoms
will be
divided
through a process
of elimination
I notice
your packed
suitcase
is not a factor
in my request
you are going
on a “save the animals”
retreat
imbued with the righteous
notion that no
creature
shall be denied its
native habitat
insisting that zoos
by definition
have become dioroma’d
prison camps
even if
original intent
may have included
conservation
you promise
my transition into institutionalized living
will be humane
oblivious
to the fact that I
am about to be
caged
Kristie L. Williams is excited to announce that her forthcoming poetry chapbook titled Finding Her will be published through Finishing Line Press in August 2022. She will begin taking presale orders the week of April 19th.
She started her writing journey to impress boys and found her true voice as a poet during her time at Saint Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg NC where she earned a B.A. in English/Creative Writing. It was in that space and time that the seeds for this collection were planted.
Kristie went on to East Carolina University and received an MAEd. in Adult Education. She continued to share her love of words while teaching in the North Carolina Community College System.
After 12 years of teaching Kristie began using her own story of quadriplegia and cerebral palsy to advocate for herself and others with disabilities. She describes her work as disability adjacent, because although it shapes the context of her work cerebral palsy does not overshadow the arc of her story.
Kristie has been previously published by Main Street Rag, Dan River Review, Cairn, Maximum Tilt Solstice Anthology, Madness Muse Press, Hermit Feathers Review Heron Clan 8, and Nostos: Journal of Poetry, Fiction, and Art.
When she’s not playing with words, she is participating in adaptive recreation, creating mixed media art, reading great books, and going to rock concerts.