Welcome to Poetic Licence – a new weekly poetry forum, hosted by us, featuring words by local poets. This week? Vancouver comedian and actress Sara Bynoe, with ‘Main and Empty.’
Main and Empty
one week before I got fired
from waiting on tables
at East Van’s favourite late-night eatery
across from the neon light store/ drug front
down from ten coffee shops in four blocks
next to stores with silk screened ironic t-shirts
locally made jewelry and retro records
filling my arms with
local brew, sangria and the mix of the day,
black beans on basmati,
coconut milk and quinoa,
mango, tofu, peanut sauce,
large nachos the size of my torso
two guys are sitting at a back table
drinking one p.m. beers
one hides behind Buddy Holly glasses
the other shields with a sleeve of tattoos
we talk
while white people with dreadlocks listen to hip hop
while the smell of spray paint loiters in the alley
while the new cook burns the chili
and I’m shedding dreams like onion tears
after three rounds
they left behind torn napkins
empty cigarette boxes
an insulting 6% tip
and a note
YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
The Westender included Sara Bynoe in its list of Vancouver's most hilarious people twice. She is a mover and shaker who works as an actor, writer, and story producer in factual TV. She's worked on TV shows like This Is High School for CBC TV and Sex Sent Me To The ER for TLC. She has an MA in creative and life writing from Goldsmiths University of London. Her writing has been published in The Globe and Mail, Hazlitt, The Tyee, and in several poetry magazines. She also edited the anthology Teen Angst: A Celebration of REALLY BAD Poetry (St. Martin’s Press). In Vancouver she is best known for producing comedic storytelling shows like Teen Angst Night, and Say Wha?! Readings of Deliciously Rotten Writing, which have been part of many festivals including All Jane No Dick (Portland), Bumbershoot (Seattle), and the Vancouver Comedy Festival. As an actor you might have seen her recently seen in commercials for Edible Arrangements, Booking.com, and Telus. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @SaraBynoe.
To submit your own poetry to Poetic Licence, email [email protected] with Poetry Column in the subject line. Include your poem, full name, contact details and bio. Only those selected for the column will be contacted.
