FOURTH PERSON

These poems are based on a running commentary that my daughter at age 4 was giving while she was drawing. What amazed me was how at this age, she had a very fluid and undeveloped conception of identity and signification. It was clear that drawing was an unfolding process of discovery for her.


FIRST PERSON

the person with the breasts
the very long toenails
the yellow nose

then another one with breasts
no arms
a toenail taller than a tree

it’s supposed to be a toenail but
in real life its
a balcony

see how it has
a mouth
a fancy mouth

and a nose and ears
so far
now I need to make
a body

this body is
pregnant
see the baby

and the vagina
and now
I have to make
a sun

actually it doesn’t need a sun
that’s the lady’s hat
she’s just planning
to go outside

she doesn’t know that
this picture is warm

*

SECOND PERSON

this guy is mean
he doesn’t like
people
and he has rosy cheeks

but he’s still a kid
he’s got three nipples because
he’s mad
that makes his two nipples turn into
three

his vagina
wait! he’s not a boy
he’s a girl
his bum
his pet cat

here’s his sad cat
the cat’s hair
like the colour of the cat

*

THIRD PERSON

this guy is grown up
he’s a captain and he’s lost his
eye

he‘s a boy so he has
nipples

his forehead
his mouth
his hair
this is his dog and
this is his penis
these are Niagara Falls
and this is the guy

his chair
his neck
his hair
his feet
and Niagara Falls
he’s looking at Niagara Falls

and he’s pretty mad
because they’re all above him and
some are coming down

*

FOURTH PERSON

this guy’s unhappy
and he’s a bird
he’s a Chinese bird
with a hat on him
but he doesn’t know

he’s a boy

nipple
nipple

and he’s very fancy

wings
wings

and he’s flying

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