Quarclet: Danielle Devereaux (bis)

First lady of the environment

~Danielle Devereaux

 
The lounge for famous people who’ve made it
to heaven has an open bar, faux-leather sofas,
and a wide-screen TV. Most nights there are fights
over who gets the flicker, arguments about

 

syndicated reruns, the merits of Technicolor,
but everyone loves an awards show. Al Gore
gets an Oscar, and the gamblers put money
on Rachel Carson. The next pop culture

 

comeback, First Lady of the Environment.
She pays it no mind, until Che Guevara
stands before her, takes her hand
in his, nods discreetly toward Pocahontas.

 

“Miss Carson,” he says, “If Disney
makes a movie, you must never watch it.”
He is wearing a yellow Che T-shirt.
Pocahontas has taken to haunting

 

landfills, rescuing plastic Pocahontas
Barbies. She washes their long hair,
their slim bodies the colour of whisky.
Knits miniature sweaters and long underwear,

 

stitches tiny patchwork skirts. Tucks
each doll snug, beneath a buffalo hide
blanket. Rachel has heard her
humming lullabies at night.
 
 

Rachel Carson over for tea: read it in Quarc.

Danielle Devereaux’s chapbook, Cardiogram, will be published by Baseline Press this fall. She lives in St. John’s.

 

For more Devereaux on deet, get your hands on Quarc! Offer ends soon—subscribe to both The New Quarterly and Arc for 38% off!

Skip to content