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Live Encounters Poetry & Writing September 2023
The story, poems by Irina Frolova.
the story
in collaboration with Michael J Leach
i.
it all began in the middle
of February one Friday on a fatigued
hot husk of an afternoon
she opened his poem on her phone
her breath caught in her throat
the rest was history her story
his story their story waiting for that
weekend in March in-person meeting
late into the evening champagne
lips shared bed shunned sleep slipping
into a dream morning in mid-Autumn
ii.
it all began in the midst
of St Valentine’s day on a warm wish
-bone of an afternoon he saw
a headshot of her on his phone his eyes
lingered on her face as poetry formed
4 days later he sent her that poem &
held his breath awaiting a reply
whilst fearing it might never come
he’d never done something so bold before
alone in bed once again sliding
into a dream of her in autumnal light
© Irina Frolova
Irina Frolova is a Russian-Australian writer. She has a degree in philology from Moscow City Pedagogical University and is studying psychology at Deakin University. Her work speaks to the experience of immigration, neurodivergence, and a search for belonging. It draws on folklore and explores archetypes through cultural and feminist lenses. Her poetry and prose have appeared in Not Very Quiet, Australian Poetry Collaboration, Baby Teeth Journal, Rochford Street Review, The Blue Nib, The Australian Multilingual Writing Project, Live Encounters, Mascara Literary Review, Kalliope X, Burrow, and various anthologies. Irina’s creative highlights include her first collection of poetry Far and Wild (released by Flying Island Books in 2021), winning the second prize in the 2021 Deborah Cass Prize for writing, and being shortlisted for the 2022 Alice Sinclair Writing Competition.