From Being When Wendy (BEING CHAPTER ONE OF THREE PARTS)

by Cassie Smith

map to neverland on heartache or forgetting: Not the pain of this but its unfairness was what dazed Peter. It made him quite helpless.

He could only stare, horrified. Every child is affected thus the first time he is treated unfairly… After you have been unfair to him he may love you again, but he will never afterwards be quite the same boy. No one ever gets over the first unfairness; no one except Peter. He often met it, but he always forgot it. I suppose that was the real difference between him and all the rest. (150)

rules:

1. each time, create a map.

(a physical placement of how to negotiate the imaginary)

2. never use the word “negotiate” in reference to neverland.

instead one might say “go to”

in reference to location or going.

3. one would require a proof (or logic) of existence without evidence, (generally, normally, this is taken for given/ granted) that the place will continue to exist 4. how can one be sure?

5. do we return to the same place which changes upon every arrival.

a. if we mean more than stones or throwing

dear peter,

in order to “go to” a place, one must first be able to locate it. this is generally a given = find the place and go there = but when the place is purely imaginary, one must first find rules and ways of the place becoming place.

ie. neverland but the maps are not made of roadsigns

but the boats will not require oars.

CASSANDRA MARIE SMITH was a poet and visual artist. She exhibited her book u&i and photography installations in Oakland, San Fransisco, Sacramento, Portland, Chicago, Denver, and Memphis. Various writings of her poetry have appeared in The Offending Adam, comma, poetry, Saginaw, Joyland, The Medium via The Volta, Pilgrimage, Glitterpony, With+Stand, and others.

Anne Waldman at 75