Belle Epoque or Friday Night in West Virginia, and: Depository by Natalie Homer

Abstract

Reviewed by: Belle Epoque or Friday Night in West Virginia, and: Depository by Natalie Homer Natalie Homer (bio) Branches hold aloft their petalslike saucers without teacups. Rain fills them. Inside the church—old stone, red doors—dark, burnt coffee from the AA groupwends its scent through the halls. The copy machine hums,heats the bulletins as they print.Outside, a man carefully restocks the little free pantry with its peeling blue paint,its miniature glass doors.On the way home, we drive over one of the rusty steel bridges.Sometimes the river is all mist—a witch’s brew snaking through the Appalachian hills.Why are we still speaking about normal, everyday thingswith a sight like that out the window? At home, I wrap the white quilt around mewhose stiches are patterned in little doves, a nice touch.My story, like so many others’, is that I didn’t say nothough I didn’t say yesand anyway, wasn’t I lucky to be wanted at all? Now receive this blessing—I learned latethat I was not supposed to take the wafer but to cup my palms, to ask,to leave myself open and waiting. [End Page 93] Depository The most ambitious daffodils end up buried in snow.Take that to heart. The mudroom of the red brick farmhousegreets me with its unidentifiable, sweet fragrance. Inside, I run my hand along the banister’s curves,appreciate the creaks my steps make on the wood floors. In a small upstairs room, an old map of West Virginiahas a window view out on white-powdered fields, on little red berries jeweled over the bare-branched tree,rations to make it through. I’m thinking of the airy, soft fur of a gray fox,of how being desired only takes you so far— but damn if it doesn’t sometimes feellike all there is. [End Page 94] Natalie Homer Natalie Homer is the author of Under the Broom Tree (Autumn House Press, 2021). Her recent poetry has been published in River Styx, Puerto del Sol, American Literary Review, Four Way Review, Ruminate, Sou’wester, and others. She received an MFA from West Virginia University and lives in southwestern Pennsylvania. Copyright © 2022 University of Wisconsin Board of Regents