Published 8 November 20099 December 2009 · Main Posts The story (a poem) Koraly Dimitriadis The story must come out, ripping like hurls of vomit / of an infectious plague that locks away crazy. It tears at a body that coughs up in resistance / green phlegm and acid / with seized up hands of sand. The story must come out / at the ‘You’re not going in there, Mummy’ / and the ‘one more cuddle, Mummy’ / You’re a shitty mummy, Mummy / where is your next child, Mummy / you should clean, Mummy / or work, Mummy / stop chasing dreams, Mummy. You – are – a – fucking – lousy – mummy, Mummy. The story will come out / against walls of fucking brick / of ‘no children at Rosebank – sorry that’s for dedicated writers to finish their manuscripts’ / and ‘your submission’s unsuccessful but please celebrate our writers’. The story will punch out / at the ‘I won’t read your work you didn’t read mine’ / at the snubby elite / while I drag heaviness through fields of mud. Why am I doing this again? Oh – right – the story’s got to come out. It shrills out in the night where wide eyeballs scribble notes / and voices not mine scream lost. Varuna deadlines loom / ‘Why aren’t you coming to my birthday?’ Where’s my sister, Koraly? My cousin, Koraly? My wife, Koraly? Is that Ella in Cyprus or me? Is that Ella in love or me? Is that Ella fighting with Harry or me? Is that Ella slashing her wrists or me? Koraly Dimitriadis Koraly is a widely published Cypriot-Australian writer and performer. She is the author of the controversial Love and F**k Poems. Koraly received an Australia Council ArtStart grant. She presents on 3CR radio and has a residency at Brunswick Street Bookstore. Her 2013 La Mama show is Exonerating The Body. She is mentored by Christos Tsiolkas. More by Koraly Dimitriadis › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays First published in Overland Issue 228 10 November 202311 November 2023 · Subscriberthon 2023 On the final day of Subscriberthon, Overland’s most important members get to have their say Editorial Team BORIS A quick guide to another year of Overland, from your trusty feline, Boris. I liked the ginger cat story, though it made my human cry. I liked the talking cat, too, but I’m definitely in the “not wasting my time learning to talk” camp. But reading is good. And writing is fun, though it’s been challenging […] 1 First published in Overland Issue 228 9 November 20239 November 2023 · Subscriberthon 2023 On the second-last day of Subscriberthon, Overland’s co-chief editor Evelyn Araluen speaks truth to power Editorial Team To my friends and comrades, I’m not sure if there’s language to communicate how this last month has utterly changed me. This time a few weeks ago the busyness and chaos of bricolage arts and academic labour had so efficiently distracted me from my anxiety about the upcoming referendum that I forgot to prepare myself for its inevitable conclusion.