Jamie King-Holden lives in Melbourne and studies literature at Deakin University. Her first book of poetry, Chemistry, was published by Whitmore Press in 2011. Her poetry has appeared in Antipodes, Capsule,  Dotdotdash, Eureka Street, Ekleksographia and Verandah. She was shortlisted for the Gwen Harwood Poetry Prize in 2010 and was guest emerging writer for the Mildura Writers festival in 2011.

the crux

the first time you have a fever.
Saturday’s dying and you let your
umbrella melt at the door.

we zigzag to shadow, newly drunk.
find the queer wilderness of skin,
kiss and slur.

the clock halts and spills, Daliesque.
on the wall women in frames
glow and look on.

your open mouth’s a small sun
that asks my neck for a poem
over Abbe May.

when you’re inside me, at the crux
I only render this: carnal apple, woman
filled, burning moon. 

carnal apple, woman filled,
burning moon.