Grasping for Magic

by Madison McClintock

Image credit: Natalya Letunova on Unsplash

As a child,

I cried when I couldn’t do magic,

like trying to teleport a soda can

from across the room.

I wanted it to be tangible,

to feel the sweating aluminum

meet me in the middle.

Now,

it’s a miracle

when I don’t want to off myself.

When I can be of service to friends,

to strangers.

When I can pick up the phone and dial

before putting it down.

***

Madison McClintock

Madison McClintock is a writer, aphantasic, and super-recognizer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, her work blends personal narrative with cultural critique, often exploring the shifting terrain of memory and the interplay of intimacy and performance. Her poems have appeared in Harrow House Journal and are forthcoming in Sky Island Journal. You can find more of her work at observationdissociation.substack.com.