"Carve, Cut, Chisel" by Tristan Marajh — Our March 2021 Bronze Medal Winner

Tristan is our third place winner from the contest posted in our March 2021 issue!

What the judges had to say:

“The form of this piece is as striking as the content. The author uses form to convey their messages cleverly, enhancing to the reader’s experience. This is a unique interpretation of the prompt photo, making the wood the main character, as opposed to the woodworker. ”

“... a touching piece that immediately got me hooked. I admire the risk you took on writing a poem instead of a story. ”

Meet Tristan

Tristan is the 1st-Prize Winner of The Stratford Writing Competition (Canada) and a Winner in The William Faulkner Literary Competition (USA). His work appears in a number of Canadian journals; most recently in the March 2021 issue of Blank Spaces Magazine.

Carve, Cut, Chisel

the unedited prose poem by Tristan Marajh

Carve

I had a few pieces out in the world already, when I met you.

You loved them.

And I loved you.

So I carved out a life together, for both of us.

But because they were out in the world,

you loved those pieces.

Cut

Those pieces weren’t enough for you

because the world was big.

More, faster, you said.

Nicer, prettier, you said.

But it wasn’t enough.

So you cut me off

And I was cut

to pieces.

Chisel

There is one more piece you didn’t know about -

I kept it to myself

In myself.

Carving, cutting, chiseling,

the worthy - not the world - will witness

The masterpiece.