Sarah Gajkowski-Hill
Sarah Gajkowski-Hill is a writer in Houston, where she attended the University of St. Thomas. She has published music, food and art reviews in Houston Press, CuiZine, 002Houston, ArtsHouston Magazine, and has published poetry in Dappled Things, The Clementine Journal, and The Josephine Quarterly. She was anthologized in The Connoisseurs of Suffering: Poetry for the Journey to Meaning.
Her poem, "Another Ted Hughes" was a finalist for a Pushcart Award. Gajkowski-Hill curated a reading at Artique Gallery this past year called “Resiliency: Navigating the Pandemic Together.” She enjoys being an empty-nester with her husband, running a mix tape club and attending live concerts.
You can read more of Gajkowski-Hill’s work at sarahghill.com.
Her poem, "Another Ted Hughes" was a finalist for a Pushcart Award. Gajkowski-Hill curated a reading at Artique Gallery this past year called “Resiliency: Navigating the Pandemic Together.” She enjoys being an empty-nester with her husband, running a mix tape club and attending live concerts.
You can read more of Gajkowski-Hill’s work at sarahghill.com.
Two Original Poems:
"Unhinged"
seashells are never beautiful.
the rings show the age of something dead
the water berates and buffs it until a tiny hole
bores into it at its weakest point.
I crouched in the tree the other day,
as far from water as I could get,
balanced on a branch,
pulling the thread through the holes in each of my nails.
and the moisture is gone, there’s not much left to drag;
each morning what dew has settled
is all I have left. I can barely swallow my pills.
all that remains is the sound of seashells, unhinging.
"How I Taught Myself Surgery"
I returned victorious from every battle
from the pristinely laid-out instrument of
self-lancings in my upstairs bathroom:
dread rose through the house with its own heat and
mingled with the fumes from the alcohol and fire for sterilizing.
the bandages and iodine for afterwards,
the pressure, the draining bowl--
like another girl’s beauty regimen, my weekends
spent in front of a mirror, wide-eyed and precise.
like riding a snake’s scales, I triumphantly,
slowly, descended the staircase.
heavy-lidded, link by link.
roses in my nightgown falling, the bandages red with thorn blood and
disease and decay milked from every sore until I shone like a fluted glass.
my hair behind me emblazoned on the air
a shield of petals dampening the dressings.
the wounds, spectacular--
flayed and peeled away
a new bud every time
a tiny hood of freedom.
"Unhinged"
seashells are never beautiful.
the rings show the age of something dead
the water berates and buffs it until a tiny hole
bores into it at its weakest point.
I crouched in the tree the other day,
as far from water as I could get,
balanced on a branch,
pulling the thread through the holes in each of my nails.
and the moisture is gone, there’s not much left to drag;
each morning what dew has settled
is all I have left. I can barely swallow my pills.
all that remains is the sound of seashells, unhinging.
"How I Taught Myself Surgery"
I returned victorious from every battle
from the pristinely laid-out instrument of
self-lancings in my upstairs bathroom:
dread rose through the house with its own heat and
mingled with the fumes from the alcohol and fire for sterilizing.
the bandages and iodine for afterwards,
the pressure, the draining bowl--
like another girl’s beauty regimen, my weekends
spent in front of a mirror, wide-eyed and precise.
like riding a snake’s scales, I triumphantly,
slowly, descended the staircase.
heavy-lidded, link by link.
roses in my nightgown falling, the bandages red with thorn blood and
disease and decay milked from every sore until I shone like a fluted glass.
my hair behind me emblazoned on the air
a shield of petals dampening the dressings.
the wounds, spectacular--
flayed and peeled away
a new bud every time
a tiny hood of freedom.
Recommended Reading for Aspiring Writers:
- A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
- The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr
- The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
- Ariel or The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Student Testimonials:
“Sarah approached a daunting project like memoir writing by breaking the process up into smaller digestible parts.”
“Her energy level kept the class fully engaged the entire time and we left with well-crafted writing we were proud to share with others.”
“The memoir writing class taught by Sarah was entertaining, thought provoking, and an overall great experience. She did a great job of keeping the class focused on the task at hand, so that we were all able to complete and share our stories by the end of the class. I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah’s class and would highly recommend it to others.”
“In classes with Sarah, I’m challenged and encouraged to explore topics and genres in poetry that are typically out of my comfort zone. Through her lessons, I’ve been introduced to so many different styles and developed a broader scope of knowledge about poetry, which has really helped me become a more versatile writer.”
“I found that the course instructed by Sarah Hill was an exploration of myself and how my past experiences made me who I am today. I credit Sarah with helping me discover the art of journaling.”
“Sarah approached a daunting project like memoir writing by breaking the process up into smaller digestible parts.”
“Her energy level kept the class fully engaged the entire time and we left with well-crafted writing we were proud to share with others.”
“The memoir writing class taught by Sarah was entertaining, thought provoking, and an overall great experience. She did a great job of keeping the class focused on the task at hand, so that we were all able to complete and share our stories by the end of the class. I thoroughly enjoyed Sarah’s class and would highly recommend it to others.”
“In classes with Sarah, I’m challenged and encouraged to explore topics and genres in poetry that are typically out of my comfort zone. Through her lessons, I’ve been introduced to so many different styles and developed a broader scope of knowledge about poetry, which has really helped me become a more versatile writer.”
“I found that the course instructed by Sarah Hill was an exploration of myself and how my past experiences made me who I am today. I credit Sarah with helping me discover the art of journaling.”
Teaching Philosophy
Creating a collaborative, safe space to explore sometimes difficult topics is of the utmost importance to me. I enjoy facilitating group writing activities that encourage every person in the room to share their completely unique prerogative!
Creating a collaborative, safe space to explore sometimes difficult topics is of the utmost importance to me. I enjoy facilitating group writing activities that encourage every person in the room to share their completely unique prerogative!