she looks like art
by Yemariam Abebayehu
she looks like art:
the texture of her hair,
the glow in her cheeks,
the curve of her lips,
the light in her eyes
craft and mould
her perfect image,
put her on display,
a masterpiece...
she is an intricate painting,
each brush stroke is a testament to her unique complexity.
she is an elaborate performance,
followed everywhere by the spotlights.
she is a graceful dance,
purpose to every step.
she is a serene melody,
each note a remedy to the aches they caress.
she is a work of art,
a sight for sore eyes...
the kind of beauty that leaves you
fearing for your life,
and the kind you'd drown for,
the kind you'd fly to the Sun for,
the kind you'd have to be worthy of,
but wouldn't survive without.
she belongs in every museum,
on every mural, in every gallery.
she is the sort of perfection
I'm lucky to witness,
the kind I'm not worthy of,
the kind I can't live without.
Yemariam Abebayehu is a poet and performer, both as a solo artist and as a member of Edmonton’s Spoken Word Youth Choir. She is a graduate of the University of Alberta, holding a BA in Psychology and French Language and Literature, and of the University of Neuchâtel, where she earned a Master’s degree in Psychology and Education.
Yemariam self-published an anthology of her poems, Open Flame, in 2020, and in 2023 released Lessons in Strange Soil as both a book and an album. She also has her work published in several outlets, such as Poets of Alberta’s social media platforms, Kiwi Collective Magazine, the 2020 and 2021 APIRG Almanacs, YouthWrite's 2021 Zine, and the first issue of the Rootson6 Zine.
Yemariam's inspiration for her poetry stems from various sources, such as nature and human (and personal) experiences. She hopes her work reaches as many people as possible so that it can provide comfort and inspiration.