Two Poems
Jocelynn Hunter Dow
Julianna
she looks like a Julianna
I’ve met several Julianna’s in my lifetime
they have eyes black like their hair
and smile a whole lot
and laugh from their gut
because they find everything to be funny
for some reason they don’t like mushrooms
unless its sautéed a certain way
and songs about the universe or reuniting soulmates
always make them cry
I am definite that she is a Julianna
then someone, who looks like an Alex, shouts
“Hey Simone!”
she turns around
the more I look at her
the more she looks like a Simone
Genetics is a Funny Thing
I’m often told that I look like my dad
maybe it’s because of how we both smile with our eyes too much
or how the shape of our faces is square and sharp much like ourselves
or in the way our lower lip can’t help but slightly pout
it’s probably because of our tall posture,
as if we know from deep within our spines
that we descend from cocky royalty
very rarely am I told that I look like my mom
but sometimes I see it
in my round nose that turns hot red when I’m cold
in the way that I speak from the soles of my feet
in the shape of my alert tired eyes
she’s a very pretty woman
with her womanly loud laughter
with the womanly symmetry in her face and curves
with her womanly approach to conflict with reason and feeling
I think it was her pretty that saved me;
her feminine melding evenly with my dad’s masculine
to make me feel pretty and not handsome
to make me whole
I find it funny
my parents tell me that I look like my grandma,
my mom’s mom;
her and I have the same soft clay-colored flesh
the same gentle diction
the same sweet stubbornness
the same bad habit of seeing clutter as tiny treasures
we had even made the same wish
when we were little girls,
in different times,
to have a kingdom of animals
to love and love us back
without judgment
wouldn’t it be so funny
if I would later have a daughter
that looks less like me
and was more like my mother?
I think it’d be even funnier
if her daughter,
my daughter’s daughter,
wound up getting skin as sensitive as her heart
or a smile full of shifting teeth
maybe even a soul that is far too kind
without motives
and even hates itself for such kindness at times
when it’s taken advantage of
and shown over and over again
that humans can be cruel on purpose
yet
it still finds so many reasons to love
wouldn’t it be so unfortunate
if she ended up being like
me.
Jocelynn Hunter Dow, a member of the Class of 2025 at Mason Gross School of the Arts, embodies a multifaceted commitment to creativity and community. Hailing from Monmouth County, NJ, Jocelynn is pursuing her BFA in visual arts with a concentration in painting, accompanied by double minors in creative writing and Africana studies. She actively contributes to the Honors College and Douglass Residential College programs, where she excels in both academic and leadership roles.
Her vibrant expressions on canvas and the page not only reflect her passion for creativity but also serve as catalysts for joy and connection in the spaces they inhabit. Jocelynn’s mission extends far beyond personal success; she aims to inspire, provoke change, and foster inclusivity within communities. Through her art, she seeks to dismantle barriers and create bridges between cultures and perspectives. Whether through solo exhibitions, collaborative projects, or community workshops, Jocelynn’s commitment to uplifting others through art remains steadfast.
Jocelynn is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, where she continues to embody the values of service, leadership, and sisterhood.