Dispatches

The muse hunt

Danielle Hubbard

I reached a point in my early

thirties when I had to acknowledge

myself a washed-up poet so

that read: Wanted, one muse.

Verve and inspiration required. Ability

to work obscure hours including

weekends, pre-dawn.

The following resume

arrived by fax: One ex-military

man, 52, applying

for duty. Credentials include

the capacity to sleep

four hours a night.

Physical stamina. Five years

in the Airborne and a thumb tattoo

to prove it. Excellent libido,

abdominals. Once jumped

from a Huey helicopter at 2,000

feet over Helena, Montana

and landed on a cactus.

Once jumped from a C130 Hercules

in Baggotville, Quebec

under red light in the middle of dark.

Once jumped with 300

pounds of radio kit and a twisted

chute that only deployed 100

feet before impact. Once jumped

from a Lockheed C-141 Starlifter,

great name. Once jumped

from a helium blimp at

800 feet over England.

Once served four months in military

prison in Edmonton

as a result of an incident

with a machete. Twice married

and twice divorced. Once tore a rotator

cuff lifting a Christmas tree,

still suffering the consequences.

Enjoys Chardonnay. Inexperienced

with poetry but

willing to learn. After a rigorous

and long-drawn interview, I

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Danielle Hubbard

Danielle Hubbard’s poetry has appeared in several literary magazines, including the Malahat Review, the Fiddlehead and the Antigonish Review. When not writing, Danielle enjoys swimming, cycling, and exploring new places. She lives in Port Moody, where she works as the deputy director of the public library.

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