by Pam Campbell
to the house we once lived in together
the sun is descending—flaming ruby squeezed
and pressed between sapphire-black nimbostratus
and stretch of tidal river
a seam of white daylight refracts to walls stripped
of color and breath
except the guest room where my belongings live
on the wall hangs a print of a young woman
head and shoulders weary-bent
wheat-ash hair thick-braided down her back
half-ashore in a water-unworthy wooden boat
she knows the score of scars that white-wash
sound and hollow key
until she doesn’t fit in the lock anymore
Pam Campbell’s poems have appeared in Ó Bhéal Five Words Anthologies, Volumes XIV- XVII, Blue Mondays Poetry Anthology 2021, and PMS&G Literary Journal, Volume 25-27, and her prose in PMS&G Literary Journal, Volume 24, and in To Life, Holocaust Stories of Hampton Roads Survivors, Liberators, and Rescuers. She is the 2024 Tennessee Mountain Writers first place winner in children’s literature.
Originally from Cheraw, SC, Bridada studied visual arts at Clemson University, concentrating in film photography. Her journey with film photography began with a 35mm film camera gifted by her parents in 2012 for her first photography course, the camera she continues to use for all her film photographs today. Growing up in a military family and frequently traveling, Bridada developed a deep appreciation for the world’s varied landscapes, while her upbringing in a small southern town grounded her in the beauty of southern life. This balance between movement and rootedness is reflected in her work, capturing both nature’s healing power and life’s complexities. For Bridada, the darkroom became a space for introspection, where developing prints created a reflective dialogue with the world around her. Her art invites viewers to see beyond the surface, offering glimpses into perspectives that might otherwise be missed. In addition to being a professional artist, Bridada is a mental health professional and art therapist in training, blending creativity with therapeutic practice.
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