Lisa Williams By Lisa Williams
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Her skin was like honey, her lips were like…
He thought of a red food, Glacé cherries, counted syllables thinking of a pastry tart, a slick of icing with a half-cherry nipple on top.
Her skin wasn’t like honey anyway, it had a sheen. Her forehead was simply spotty. Did he mean hair? That was a bit lanky. Her teeth had a gap you could ride a Grifter through.
She gave him that feeling inside like when it was chips and crispy pancakes for tea. He abandoned his sonnet and decided to write about something easier like death instead.
Lisa Williams is a shopgirl from Leicester, England. You can find her @noodleBubble in the usual crevices.
Why we chose this piece: First, Sue Morcambe is an incredible name. Next, the rich imagery coupled with the wry humor works so well. This unnamed character acknowledges that the object of his affection doesn’t align with traditional beauty standards, yet the simile for how she makes him feel is so much more unique than honey or cherries. We really enjoyed the idea that contemporary literary writers find it easier to write about death than romance—even if they’re literally in love. Although she makes him feel “like when it was chips and crispy pancakes for tea,” such language could never be arty enough for a sonnet. Heaven forfend you sound a little sentimental, you know? (That’s sarcasm, btw.) One can only hope he doesn’t give up on Sue as easily as he does the sonnet.
British References
For those who are unfamiliar—
- Glacé cherries are neon-red sweetened cherries. Also known as “maraschino cherries.” They’re frequently garnishes in drinks or desserts.
- A Grifter was a British bicycle popular in the 1970s and 1980s. For Americans, it’s essentially a BMX bike.
- Chips are French fries in American, whereas crisps are chips in American.
- Crispy pancakes are basically large, flat empanadas covered in a layer of breadcrumbs with savory fillings like beef and onion, chicken and mushroom, and ham and cheese. Surely now you understand there is no warmer feeling than knowing you’re going to eat crispy, savory pancakes.
