Motel States of Matter, by Laura Lee Rogalsky

Prose poetry, chapbook, 32 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

The speaker in Motel States of Matter is less interested in whether she is “good” or “bad” and more concerned with whether she is still beautiful yet devastating. These poems explore one person’s journey with morality in navigating a world where she is more than certainly created to hurt someone’s feelings.

With oddly specific pop culture references and self loathing that eventually lends itself towards self acceptance, the speaker frantically encounters Beach Blanket Bingo, sexy moments on the bus and whatever song seems to be playing on the radio these days.

In reverence of urban domesticity, this collection strives to connect with the speaker’s darkest parts of herself so she can finally access the big beautiful life that she has no evidence exists, but is still certain is out there waiting for her.

Laura Rogalsky lives and writes in Brooklyn. She is a participant in The Ashbery Home School and the Tin House Writer’s Workshop. Her work is featured in Hooligan Magazine, Entropy and Radioactive Moat. She is currently studying under Chicago poet, Marty McConnell. She will be attending a residency at SAFTA farmhouse through Sundress Publications this Spring.