Author: Kirslyn Schell-Smith

Kirslyn Schell-Smith (she/her) is an artist, writer, and photographer with a BA in Studio Art from Denison University and an MFA from Ithaca College. She became interested in art and writing at a young age. In fact, her first camera was a Fisher-Price Perfect Shot that took 110 film. As of 2020, that film may or may not have been developed...its current whereabouts are unknown. She prefers to write when she isn't expecting it; her psychiatrist's office, in her car in a parking lot, in between clients, in bed at 2am, standing in line at the grocery store, and while she's avoiding the household chores. She has most recently been published by Paul Soulellis, Pilot Press, Soft Lightning, The Los Angeles Press, and Genre Urban Arts (upcoming). Follow her on Instagram @kirslynschellsmithart.

Above the Flames

By : Kirslyn Schell-Smith December 21, 2021 Comments Off

When I turned 18, my dad gave me a pack of matches for my birthday as well as metal poles for holding marshmallows this was during my “bonfire, cooking everything on a grill, s’mores every night of the week” phase I’ve never told you this before I didn’t learn how to light a match until then. always been afraid of burning perhaps I was a witch in the past life I don’t believe in have you ever stuck your finger in the candle wax after you’ve blown it out? I can’t afford to go to the spa somehow I still have fingerprints to leave on your dark purple walls that frame your face as you tell me you’re colorblind 600 degrees or even hotter I can tell you’re salty by

Diction

By : Kirslyn Schell-Smith December 21, 2021 Comments Off

lately it’s been tough to, what do they call it? “find the words” but right now it’s not that they’re lost but I don’t know where they are buried treasure? does x actually mark the spot or is it a plus sign I will reiterate that I have always been bad at math maybe why will answer the question instead but for that I have no answers perhaps we can figure it out together let me turn down my music I’m not sure how to type sounds where should we start? promise you won’t get off before I’m done ? no, . how do we set the stage? okay, okay, I’m ready now. I have the words. I have the words, but they’re stuck. they’re churning, swirling in my stomach

identity crisis

By : Kirslyn Schell-Smith May 15, 2021 Comments Off

permanent identity crisis choose your own adventure book but i can’t pass for white but i can’t pass for black sophie’s choice i’ve never seen sophie’s choice but i can never decide between macaroni & cheese and a cheeseburger so i think i get the picture pictures like that bowling ball that rolled into the sewer when you were five pictures like snowflakes that never land on your tongue and melt before they hit the ground pictures like that girl at the bar you were too scared to talk to pictures like your blanket slipping off your legs at night and falling to the floor i’ve talked about translucency but not transparency like cling wrap windshields broken glass the windows of the hospital room i can see you from the

Abnegation

By : Kirslyn Schell-Smith March 16, 2021 Comments Off

Undetermined date, 20216:13 am “You understand me. We mirror each other. You’re what I see when I look in the mirror and I’m what you see when you don’t.” Undetermined date, 202111:27 pm I wrote something similar several years ago, right when you entered the hospital for the first time. And that was the last time, I think, that I wrote about you. And I didn’t tell you this morning, but you’re not wrong. I am afraid. Not afraid of how your recovery looks or what you are doing, but afraid that it could be me, that it would be me. Your videos, your photos, your messages, your voicemails, your texts, your audio recordings—are what my brain feels like frequently—and I know that you know that. It scares me because

August 23, Brewery

By : Kirslyn Schell-Smith March 16, 2021 Comments Off

I thought you should know that I cut my nails this morning. I woke up earlier than she did, Restless, senseless waste of sleep Removed the nail polish you’d put on more than a month ago I know it’s not good to leave it on for that long But it’s also not good to smoke so many cigarettes Drink so much alcohol, caffeine Sit with your wallet in your back pocket Time to change your clothes And finally get rid of that cardigan you’ve had since middle school Striped, but only on the sleeves, horizontal, around the elbows Navy The guy next to me is circling things in the newspaper Jobs or apartments or things for sale or car advertisements or funny comics or interesting articles or crossword puzzle answers

Mood Rings

By : Kirslyn Schell-Smith February 7, 2021 Comments Off

I said I was going to write more about how her eyes are like mood ringsEyes like mood rings and I’m the only one who can decode themBlue when she’s calm, happy, contentGreen when she’s calm, happy, contentShit, that’s not rightI’d have to ask…but still,Sometimes they’re hazelOther times blue like the raffle ticket scrunched up in my pocket from the county fairLooking to see what NFL players kneelI wonder if the networks are going to stop panning on the players if they kneelCensorshipYou see, when you live in a predominately military area and you’re watching a game on TV at a bar, at the end of the national anthem, some people clap…Uh, you’re not at the game, nor did you stand up so SIR, PLEASE SIT THE FUCK DOWN.Anyway, her

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