The Teeth of Nose Hill

these calloused sandstone outcroppings
are the teeth of Nose Hill
grinning, the whorls of stone chain linking
past, and watermarks meandering

like logos
stretching
your hands and arms across the grainy surface
then lift off your skin, tattooed with sandstone braids
etched into the hull of you,

refusing comfort in your skin,
you sit upon its surface
surf the rock, smooth, massage the stone against your palms
levitate the wonder

~ Vivian Hansen

Vivian Hansen recently won Legacy Magazine’s first annual poetry contest. Her poetry, essays and non-fiction have been published in several journals and anthologies, including Our Grandmothers, Ourselves and Threshold. Her poetry collection Leylines of My Flesh chronicles the experiences of Danish immigrants to western Canada. Her chapbook, “Angel Alley,” voices the victims of Jack the Ripper. Vivian has also been active in the Calgary Spoken Word Festival.

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