Poetry by Amelia Carlisle

Amelia Carlisle

(she/her)

Instagram: @itsmyroommates

Amelia Carlisle (AKA it’s my room mates) is a multidisciplinary and emotionally-fuelled practitioner. Based in Melbourne, Amelia actively strives for storytelling to communicate lived experiences. While her area of prominence is in design, Amelia often uses writing and poetry to inform and communicate her projects. Her writing explores modern dating, and the uncomfy aspects of adulthood.

***

And they say ‘wow’

Look at you

Paper thin

You lucky little thing!

As if somehow

Losing weight

Was an achievement

To be made

I look better now

I guess

At least I take up

less space

But my favourite jeans

No longer fit

It’s such a shame

You said so loudly

‘You’re half the woman you were’

My eyes drop

As I try not to think

‘Oh sorry, I meant it

as a good thing’

-why’d you have to comment

***

I remembered the kiss

And the words said

Straight before

Of how you’d longed to do this

And I wondered how long for

And although it’s a sweet intention

On the surface

I can’t help but think

It was the only one you ever had

That maybe my friendship

Was only worth the promise of an intimacy

that we’d never had

Well, until now.

And as I was shamed for what we did

And didn’t do

In the tiny town

where we used to live

You cowered in the corner

Not making eye contact with me

I felt again that

This was always your intention

Because how could the sexes be platonic

How fucking progressive

To know I truly am only an object.

-Party rumours