Synkroniciti is glad to welcome back New York poet and writer Jennifer Maloney, winner of our “Wild” poetry contest in early 2023. In “Family” she presents us with a fascinating look at the mammal family, including humans, in “Cellar Dwellers, 1977.” Rather than anthropomorphizing our cousins, Jennifer shows us human wildness, a much more unique and captivating reality. “All mammals have fluorescent teeth:/ we flick the black light on and grin,/ our sudden monkey selves appear.” We are not so civilized as we think–and this isn’t all bad. Acknowledging our animal natures brings us to a place where we can distinguish “between what enchants us,/ and what sucks the blood/ from the world.” Humans are at their most violent and dangerous when we try to remove ourselves from nature and think ourselves above other beings. Jennifer’s poetry is rich and intelligent, connecting science, nature and experience in musical, resplendent verse.
Read “Cellar Dwellers, 1977” in Synkroniciti’s “Family” issue, available here: https://synkroniciti.com/the-magazine/purchase-individual-issues/.
Jennifer Maloney writes poetry, short stories, and plays in Rochester, NY. Find her work in Panoply Zine, Ghost City Review, Litro Magazine and several other journals and anthologies. Jennifer is the co-editor of Moving Images: Poetry Inspired by Film (Before Your Quiet Eyes Publishing, 2021). She is now the author of a book-length hybrid collection, called Don’t Let God Know You are Singing (Before Your Quiet Eyes Publishing, 2024).
Jennifer is also a parent, a partner, and a very lucky friend, and she is grateful. For all of it. Every day. Look for her at Clare Songbirds Publishing House, where you can pick up a copy of her book Evidence of Fire.