‘Different Voices’ by Mary Christine Delea

brain power
by Eva Reyes

Different Voices

Y: 
Phoenician strain 
Ancestor of F, U, V, W: 
Little changed  
In shape over the years: 
Fey, unyielding. 
Sinewy curves 
Allow us expressions 
Of all things poetry— 
yawp 
ylem 
yowl 
yapness 
yearn: 

In Spanish, Y replaces Anglo J; 
Elsewhere, it doesn’t even occur 
Signifying semivowel 
Neither one thing 
Nor the other 
Supplanted by I 
In a Middle Ages yearning to 
Yield to modernity. 
The New World 
Had much to make 
With quasi-, multi-, inter-: 
We lost our Y 
Our simplicity: 
No longer yoicks of humble joy 
We relish our I, 
Always pointing back to ourselves— 
Our yammering narcissism— 
And have never regained 
The delight we once felt 
Mouthing our way through yond places 
And other people. 


Mary Christine Delea is a former professor who, since leaving academia, has been an AmeriCorps VISTA, a Poet-in-the-Schools, a Girl Scout leader, a baker for various charities, and a cat transport driver for animal shelters. She is the author of 1 full-length book of poems and 3 chapbooks, and her poetry has recently appeared in, or will soon be published in, various journals, including 3 Elements Review, Heron Tree, The Remington Review, and The William and Mary Review.


Eva Reyes is a novice artist and a freelance graphic designer!  She is planning to attend art school in the near future to study graphic design. For now, she is designing the world one creation at a time!! Instagram: Short.stack1 Snap Chat: be_scared62 Twitter: @Cookienova3 Discord: PotatoSkinX