'Of Mirrors, Earrings, Autism, and You' in Serebella mag, Bangladesh

 

The banshee thought that a mag on very "new" issues like the intersection of neurodiversity + womanhood was pretty good for a student-led mag from a country such as Bangladesh, and the banshee also thought that cerebellum + bella = serebella was quite an innovative name. Pun on "new issues", it's just the second issue of the mag! Okay, the banshee has this one poem here 'Of Mirrors, Earrings, Autism, and You' if you open the poetry section of the mag, you can find it here. 

Of Mirrors, Earrings, Autism and You

I look in the mirror. I fumble with my ear-hole.

My new ear-hole.

Thirty years ago, an autistic child, I looked in another mirror

Fumbled with another ear-hole. My former ear-hole. 

That was before I fell in love with you. Age eighteen. 

You-- my autistic obsession. My trauma saviour.

Fascinated by your dangling earrings

I mirrored you. I did not need a mirror anymore.

I was the mirror. Slipping danglers in ear-holes 

became second-nature. First nature. My nature. 

My ear-hole became as elongated as my obsessive fascination. 

Twenty years later, I had to get it closed. 

Twenty years later, my unrequited 'love' wants seal to be a noun instead of verb. 

Twenty years later, I look in the mirror. Again. Fumble with my new ear hole. Again. 

Slipping an earring in the new hole pains. I voice your name. My autistic stim. On repeat. 

Oh, forgot to say that the banshee had also participated in the Rainbow Lit Fest in december and read out a piece of hers, it was pretty cool! The banshee hopes to be able to participate in bigger and better ways in the future. 

The Latest news that came after this poem got published was that--- the banshee had earlier sent poems to Fem Asia in 2024-25 and a couple had been published. Will will put all that here. (or are they already here??) Should put at least some. The banshee has no record herself. But now, the editor of Fem Asia was sweet and kind enough to reach out to ask for/request/invite poetry/prose on urgent basis which she would like to include in the August issue. So I sent. Should come soon, I guess. 

the banshee doesn't put half of her wails here so this will definitely be rectified now and you all shall be full witness to her shrieks and howls lol, but later later. For the time being, the banshee has given you a HUGE update. The banshee is trying to learn balance and moderation in life which should be visible here as well, soon enough.