An Introduction to Jen Mediano by Laura Cronk


Mid-century sophistication, the mysticism of objects “nestled deep in tiger-oak drawers,” the way being taken into the confidence of a glamorous maiden aunt can change a person forever... I have been a fan of Jen Mediano’s writing for a while and I love the way a number of her concerns converge in this piece. The scent invoked here brings me straight into the company of Catholic women from my own life and the conflicts of their cosmopolitanism coming against submission to a demanding system. The speaker in this poem received a key for navigating such conflicts, in the form of a small square bottle of perfume.