An Unnecessary Woman

by Rabih Alameddine

She was so desperate for each of them to have a better life that she raised them not to have a place for her in it.

I slipped into art to escape life. I sneaked off into literature.

I fill in the blanks with literary personas better than I do with real people,

I was a voracious reader, but after Hannah’s death I grew insatiable. Books became my milk and honey.