Garbo
by Allison Whittenberg
the last silent to talk
after Chaplin,
after Lon Cheney.
you haven’t heard anything
until you’ve heard
“give me a whiskey,”
in that husky baritone.
why wait so long,
why stop at thirty-five,
hiding away that radiant face
eternally wanting to be alone...
We Know, Elsa
by Allison Whittenberg
after wedding Charles Laughton
and playing the role of your life:
a beard
how frightening could Frankenstein’s monster be?
which one made your eyes so great and glassy,
which shot lightning streaks into your updo,
which made you wail
we know, Elsa,
we know.
About the Author
Allison Whittenberg, of Philadelphia, is an award winning poet, novelist, and playwright. They Were Horrible Cooks is her collection of poetry. Her novels include Sweet Thang, Hollywood and Maine, Life is Fine, Tutored, Sane Asylum, and Killing the Father of Our Country. Her plays have been performed at The Festival of Wrights (New York), Downtown Urban Arts Festival, The Secret, Hedgerow Theatre, Theatre in the Round, Interact Theatre, and Equity Library Theater of New York. You can find her on X – @allisonwhitten6 and Instagram – @therealallisonwhittenberg.
