Sick

Such unchecked mortality in the overwhelming pastels 
of the Easter aisle at Walgreens, and in the middle 
of a quarantine. It was obnoxious. 
I didn’t stay too long because the sight of eggs 
and chocolate bunnies was making me feel nauseated. But also, 
I left quickly due to fear of exposure. It was the middle of the day,
and since I’m now a remote worker, I can go to stores at odd hours
when I don't have meetings and try to get lucky.
On this occasion, I visited around 11 and 
purchased some disgustingly scented Lysol.
The can is purple and now every time I use it – which is many times
per day as I am spraying door handles, light switches, the bottoms of my shoes –
I think of the Easter aisle, and yes, 
I am very aware of what I’m doing to myself 
but I can’t seem to stop.

ξ

Dancing to “Denise”* in the Middle of the Pandemic

My body a circle of stomping as if all the rain came down on me while the sun was shining I could keep going my body is not finished I want to roll in the dirt and be dirty I am the sourest and sweetest candy I am pure lemon warhead smiling past my ears and into another solar system movement is a parade going down just like me folding into myself like a flower getting ready for evening but first more praise more tenderness circles and bowing to the altar an idea with care and gentleness with praise a doo-wop a childhood looping and rolling and lolling and giddy in the grass bright green yellow egg and daffodils and tendrils and

*“Denise” is the 1963 song by Randy & The Rainbows

ξ

Elizabeth Schmuhl is a multidisciplinary artist and the author of Premonitions (Wayne State University Press) and Presto Agitato: A Dictionary of Modern Movement (Zoo Cake Press & Dancing Girl Press). Her book of paintings created with natural ink from her farm, The Four Seasons, is out from Greying Ghost. She illustrates essays for The Rumpus, has taught writing at the University of Michigan, and worked in digital development at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. She currently works at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her work appears in Michigan Quarterly Review, PANK, Hobart, Dance Magazine, and elsewhere.