Published in Overland Issue Tribulations from the digital frontier · The internet / Poetry Dinner party Laura Jean McKay Post: I made a terrine. So retro! Look at it. Amy: I like that. Chris: I like that too. Solomon: I like that too. Alicia: I like that too. Ben: I have an angry face. People stopped making terrines for a reason. Comment: Really? Ben Hampstead? Chris: I also made a terrine … Post: I’m wearing an orange jacket tonight. Amy: Oh my god I’m wearing an orange jacket too! React: I like that. Amy: Here’s my orange jacket from the back, the front and a pocket detail. Solomon: I like that. Ben: I like that. Chris: Did you see my terrine? I’ll show you again. I made a terrine! Solomon: My cat is wearing an orange jacket. Comment: So wrong but SO FUNNY. React: I like that. Solomon: I like that. Amy: I like that. Chris: I like that. Alicia: So much happened while I was on the toilet! Fear of missing out. I like that. Ben: Really? You might want to reconsider. Comment: The jacket or the cat? Or the fear of missing out? Comment: Ben Hampstead? Comment: Ben Hampstead? Ben: I just got changed into an orange jacket. And my name is Ben Hamsterhead now. Amy: I like that. Chris: I like that too. React: I like that too. Comment: We’re all wearing orange jackets Ben Hamsterhead! Solomon: I like that. Ben: Here’s a cat. It’s cute. Amy: Cute! I like that. Chris: I like that you think it’s cute. Solomon: I like that cat. Alicia: I like that cat too. React: I like it too. Chris: I made another terrine. This one has a cat in it. Comment: Chris McDonald I find that really upsetting. Amy: I like that you find that really upsetting. Chris: It’s not really mine. I just wanted to show you. Comment: Could you hide it under the table please? I like cats. Amy: I like that you like cats and I also like that you want Chris McDonald to hide the cat terrine under the table. Ben: I just went on a five kilometer run with Solomon Mohammed. Amy: Whaaaat?! I’ve just been here looking at cats. Ben: I like that. Solomon: I like that too. Solomon: I like that Ben Hamsterhead went on a run with me. Comment: Ben Hamsterhead maybe we could go for a run some time? Solomon: I’m playing Amy Winehouse. Perfect dinner party musac! Ben: I like that. Amy: I like that. Chris: I like that. Comment: Thanks for playing Amy Winehouse, Solomon Mohammed! Solomon: I like that. Amy: I’m in a relationship with Ben Hamsterhead. Chris: I like that. Alicia: I like that. Solomon: I like that. Ben: I would like to repeat to everyone about Amy Lu and me being in a relationship. I have a smiling face. Amy: I like that. Chris: I like that. Alicia: I like that. Comment: Wow you guys! Wow. Wow wow wow. I did not see that coming. Solomon: I did. Chris: I like that Solomon Mohammed did. Amy: I like that Solomon Mohammed did too. Alicia: I like that Solomon Mohammed did too and I also like that Solomon Mohammed is playing Amy Winehouse and also I just got naked. See? Comment: I told the police that you got naked and now they’ve come to get you and you’re totally not at the dinner party. Ben: I don’t think it’s fair that Chris McDonald can terrine a cat but Alicia Alicia can’t get naked. Ben: I just got naked in support of Alicia Alicia getting naked. Amy: I like this. Soloman: I like this too. Chris: I laughed out loud and I like this too. Comment: I like this too. Alicia: I’m back at the dinner party! Chis: 460 people just died in an earthquake in the Philippines. I’m putting my hat on the table so we can all put in money to help them. Chris: It’s terrible. Here’s the hat. Chris: It’s terrible. Chris: It’s terrible. Have you seen the hat? It’s here. Just one dollar will help. Ben: I just threw a sheep at Dana Caro. Comment: How did you do that? Ben: I didn’t. Comment: I have a confused face. Ben: It’s like someone threw a sheep at you with my hands but it wasn’t me. I can’t explain it. Amy: I like that. Ben: Amy Lu this is serious. Amy: But it was me! I pretended I was you and threw a sheep at Dana Caro! Solomon: I’m playing ‘You Know I’m No Good’ by Amy Winehouse. Comment: I like that. Amy: I’m rolling on the floor and laughing out loud. Ben: I am no longer in a relationship with Amy Lu. Comment: I like that. Solomon: I’m playing ‘Love is a Losing Game’ by Amy Winehouse. Ben: I’m not friends with Solomon Mohammed anymore. Solomon: I have stopped playing ‘Love is a Losing Game’ by Amy Winehouse. Amy: I have left the dinner party and I no longer exist. Comment: I made cappuccinos! So vintage! You can look at them. Ben: I like that. Image: Joseph Sardin / flickr Laura Jean McKay Laura Jean McKay writes about humans and other animals. She is the author of Holiday in Cambodia (Black Inc. 2013), shortlisted for three national book awards in Australia. She won the Alan Marshall short story award, and has been an Asialink, Martin Bequest Scholarship and Wheeler Centre Hotdesk Fellowship recipient. Laura is also a doctor of fiction with a PhD from the University of Melbourne. More by Laura Jean McKay 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 15 May 202326 May 2023 · Friday Poetry Poetry | Two poems by Ouyang Yu Ouyang Yu You have to do it badly. If it is poetry, even more so, because there is no because. If you write like you were the best in the world, you are the worst because you pretend too hard. Too harsh, too. Why do you want to be the best? Is that because you are a lack or there is a lack in you that you feel like filling up all the time? 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