I Find Another publication on the Artic by someone who did not grow up here
by Linda Ryynänen
It became clear to me that the Arctic was seen by many outside the
region in an idealized, “imaginary” way that didn’t correspond to the
reality of those living there . . .
- Dina Brode-Rodger, “Starving Polar Bears and Melting Ice”
I am reminded of something that does not exist:
ice and frostbitten waters, shipwrecks, a history
of cold. My brown fat cannot stand the cold.
All the photos taken, pictured in magazines.
The Porcupine Herd making National Geographic
covers. Someone receives a cash allowance.
I once dated a boy from the South. He said
he knows our people. You could call him a liar.
He eats the tip of the tongue of the reindeer.
Linda Ryynänen is a poet and writer living in Maryland. Her work most often explores themes of nature, memory, and the immigrant experience.