ALEXIA PAGANINI REPRESENTS SWITZERLAND BUT TRAINS IN HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY, & THESE ARE THINGS I DON’T REALLY UNDERSTAND
Kimberly Ann Southwick
they cut the screen into boxed parts sometimes like / now a small rectangle of alpine skiing / as if I care about that / appears / I do care about Alexia Paganini even though, Johnny tells me, / her triple toe triple toe is the easiest triple combination we’ll see — / Tara points out switching what country you skate for is difficult / I mistype company for country, that’s late capitalism for you / I still can’t help but wonder why someone would do that / would / represent her dad’s home country instead of where she lives / is it a political decision a business decision both other / Johnny seems to think it’s about / creating a skating legacy / how the people of Switzerland feel about it / I want to know that
/ her short program is good though / her sleeves are girlish but / she skated just last year in a juniors’ competition / maybe the sleeves are girlish on purpose / she has four green boxes two yellows the last one still blank / she is thrilled at the finish / her lips & nails are red / her bows are practiced, somehow unemotional / Johnny says she needs a bit more expression, a bit more speed in his way / that makes me want to keep listening / we have to wait now for her score / we watch Bradie leave the building in her coat / it must / be cold in Korea