Ask the Author: Kaitlin Dyer

Listen to or read three of Kaitlin Dyer’s poems in the June issue, then rush back here to read about the consequences of rust, organ donation, and making the moves on the denizens of Oz.

1. How would you donate your organs after your death or would you prefer to take them with you?

If I had my way it’d be whole-sale style: everything must go, but I’ve come to think of the way we handle our bodies as being something for the living. If my family wants or needs an open casket, then they can keep the parts they need in order to do that. (It’s not like any one would want my eyes anyway–my right eye requires a -11.50 prescription with astigmatism. Seriously.)

2. What would happen if we rusted on you?

Catastrophe.

3. The poems selected of yours in this issue involve lots of medical science. Why are you so fascinated with it?

It’s not so much a fascination as a forced/natural state of being. As the daughter of a medical doctor and nurse, I’m all too comfortable having conversations about gangrenous sores and syphilis over Christmas dinner.

4. What Wizard of Oz character would be the worst to mack on? How would you deflect the pick up lines?

Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

5. What would you like to be sewn shut with?

I’m partial to zippers; however the act of mending a person shows care with just about any choice of thread. Who. Who would I like to sew me shut–that is the important question.