‘Against the Light’ and Other Poetry by Carol Smallwood

Against the Light

Watermarks are visible when held against light
whispering quality, distinction, louder than a shout—
are also used in banknotes ensuring they’re alright:
some marks are more visible than others that are about.

Whispering quality, distinction, louder than a shout
made by subtle paper thickness and density variations
some marks are more visible than others that are about
in passports, stamps, and other applications.

Made by subtle paper thickness and density variations
watermarks can show quality, mill trademarks, age
in passports, stamps, and other applications
providing a crucial consumer protection gauge.

Watermarks can show quality, mill trademarks, age
are also used in banknotes ensuring they’re alright
providing a crucial consumer protection gauge:
Watermarks are visible when held against light.

Hard to Explain

After the Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang,
came the battle of anti-matter and matter
which is hard to explain scientifically or in slang.
The Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang
shouldn’t be considered a fool’s harangue
since experts named it after prolonged chatter.
After the Holy Grail of physics, the Big Bang,
came the battle of anti-matter and matter.

Carol Smallwood’s over four dozen books include Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing and Teaching, on Poets & Writers Magazine list of Best Books for Writers. Water, Earth, Air, Fire, and Picket Fences is a 2014 collection from Lamar University Press; Divining the Prime Meridian, is forthcoming from WordTech Editions. She has appeared in such journals as: Drunken Boat; The Writer’s Chronicle; The Main Street Rag; Jelly Bucket; English Journal. Carol has founded, supports humane societies.