The Girl Aquarium Quotes

“Concerning the Principles of Human Knowledge

The sky outside looks like rain
looks like the sky
looks like water.

When I try and tell my story, I take a deep breath and vomit
saplings of myself
that tell translations of the same story.

They dance dances to the music of the rain
in the sky
that looks like water.

And I try and explain that all stories can coexist and I am
many separate things
that disagree with one another
and that is ok.

Because in the forest that is many other forests, I found my
lungs.

Because in the forest that is many other things, apart from
other forests,
I left my camera to record the sound of the rain
falling from the sky
that looks like water.
I have that sound here.
You can listen to it.
It exists.

And if we are seventy percent water does that mean that we
are
constantly falling from the sky? Towards forests that exist on
paper.
If I record us, would people hear us? All our many different
selves
hurtling towards the ground.

Would they think we are extraordinary, dancing in the rain?”
― Jen Campbell, The Girl Aquarium

“The Exorcism of the North Sea
On Sundays we sing.
Ghost birds. You lead us
to the southern cliffs.
With our girl guide tents.
The sun is ours.
We have verses to prove it,
tucked in the hems of our
midwinter pockets.
We are snow globes.
Along the rows of
whitewashed caravans
young boys peer
out and whistle if
their mums aren't home.
Everything is seen through
murky glass. The sea lurches.
Someone should save
the soul of her. Lukewarm
and watered down,
holding all the girls
in bathing suits.
We stretch out our
carol sheets
and hum like bees.”
― Jen Campbell, The Girl Aquarium

“Girl Lunar
You run across the garden -- a pair of lungs. Blue fruit
and attic faced. Your eyes parachutes. The sky is black
and I can't make out your toes as they Morse code
the grass. This is the night, you say.
You say: we are the night. The night is humming
and it is cold. A giant, outdoor freezer and I wait
for our kiss to become kitchens. A film
where you are running and I am still.
Fish-eyed.
I picture teeth along the cloud line.
I need you to help me, I say, panicked.
My breath is clouds.
I need you, I say.
Moth breath.
We are in the garden of dark matter.
Your face doubles in the pond.”
― Jen Campbell, The Girl Aquarium