Zwischenfach

“Zwischenfach”was originally published in the Thrilled to Announce Zine Issue #1.

It used to be that
When people heard my voice
It… caused a problem

It went so high
But with no purity
It went so low
But with no strength

They looked at my neck
“A mezzo neck!
Long and slender.”
They looked at my face
“A soprano face!
Round and cheeky.”

They looked at my bust
Protruding and cumbersome
Untamable, like most of the rest of me
Unhide-able full hips and soft belly…

I froze as they discussed
Which clothes would make me
Fit their imaginary
Of what a singer can be

Lipstick straightened them right out
“A Soprano,” they said, proudly slotting me in,
“I can hear it now.”


Jardena Gertler-Jaffe

Jardena likes singing really high and making people feel good. Or uncomfortable, depending on her mood. She has been known to embark on slightly unconventional opera and art song projects, and hopes to create many more in the future.

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Exactly The Body I Need For Singing

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Things I Shouldn’t Tell You