An Emperor Penguin, upright, statuesque,
puffed chest deflects the snow seeming to fall
from a giant pillow shaken over the silent
bird below in a stark place at night. The artist
paints light—feathery flakes illuminate
the silhouetted head, orange neck, black feet
locked to an ice floe and the etched dark-blue
shape, its solitary shadow in blowing snow.
Nicolette Reim is a poet, visual artist, and translator who has been published in Brushfire, Maudlin House, Mojave River Review, Pittsburgh Poetry Review, Poetic Sun, The Rail, Glint Literary Journal, Voices de la Luna, and other publications. She studied art at The New York Studio School and creates visual art pieces based on abstractions from writing and topography. Nicolette is a member of Noho M55 Gallery. She holds a Master Degree in Life Science from Columbia University and a Master Degree of Fine Arts in Poetry with a Concentration in Translation from Drew University.