i’m fascinated by stickers on water bottles & phones of strangers // the way they tell me everything nothing anything about them // i hate not recognizing a character someone could’ve modeled their personality around // but there’s gratification in knowing the quote plastered next to it // because now they aren’t a stranger // as if their heart is made of paper adhesive // but no one puts their secret desires & deepest fears on a fucking hydroflask // you might as well flaunt your heart on your sleeve // i remember how it felt to throw out my old ipad case // to put stickers on a new one // redefinition is wonderful until fear of false advertising creeps in // our collective uniqueness haunts me // because if we’re all different // aren’t we the same // in the sense that abnormality itself is normalized // there’s no space for us all to be original // are we meant to pick & choose who’s special // maybe we already do when we put a celebrity’s name in lights or lie to children about their potential // i was that child // i remember the taste of passionfruit juice on a rooftop in zanzibar // sour enough to bring tears to my eyes & make coca cola cry // i can’t have been the only traveler to discover that tang on a sun-soaked roof // i’m perplexed by people that don’t like adventure // the ones without wanderlust stickers who never tasted true passionfruit // there are too few of them to make jfk dfw atl ord ams airports less hectic // but too many to be deemed unique // my friend says unfamiliarity hurts // i tell her the point of life is to live beyond the borders of your country & comfort // even if existing there doesn’t make you special

​

​

​

​

​

amelia nason is a next generation indie award finalist, a scholastic award winner, and an alumna of the interlochen, fir acres, and new york times summer writing programs. she also edits for kalopsia literary journal. her work is featured in ice lolly review and full mood magazine. when she isn’t writing, amelia fences competitively and enviously reads the acknowledgements sections of her favorite books. you can find her on twitter @amelia_emn.