Back Story: Graph by Ray Carns
Around the time I wrote the first draft of “Graph” in 2007, I made a comment to my girlfriend regarding something she’d said or did and she responded, asking if I kept a chart on her. I forget my comment—probably forgot it ten minutes after I spoke—but her response stuck in my head.
I did several rewrites of “Graph” that year but still wasn’t happy with the results. In the summer of 2010 I reread “Graph.” Looking at the lines with fresh eyes, the words fell into place as I rewrote the poem.
When I rewrote “Graph,” I remembered my girlfriend’s question and wondered: what if someone kept a chart showing different points in his or her relationship. In my mind, the chart turned into a graph, which I envisioned drawn on a long roll of paper the person kept for years marked with all the hurt, disappointments, and joyous moments noted with different color inks, circles, arrows and annotations. I imagined this graph looking like a seismic record in the early years and over time evolving into a softly undulating rhythm where the couple came to know and understand each other. Where they eased into love.
“Graph” was published in the spring 2011 issue of Rose & Thorn Journal. Ray Carns lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is enrolled in the Creative Writing Program at Phoenix College. He and his girlfriend have been together for twenty-five years. She says twenty-four. He’s consulting his graph.
Ray, this is lovely. Fascinating how a dash or dollop of real life merges into poetic form, and after proper simmering, is ready for consumption. Thanks for the treat!
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