A Mother’s Love   I am the mother of four babies. I wonder how it happened, as I’ve never known a boy. I hear my babies squealing, seeking sustenance and safety. I see their empty eyes peering out from lifeless faces. I want to feel their…

Shlishit After three stars appear in the sky Havdalah prayer marks the end of sabbath, bridging sacred time of being, with secular time of doing. Grandfather’s powerful voice reverberating prayers sing out over sweet red wine, I stand upon a chair to hold the flickering…

Canned tuna fish brings forth smells of the beach. Not from the actual smell of the tuna fish. That would be gross. Eating tuna fish that smells like the beach would not remind me of my grandma’s house on the sound. “Grandma-Beach” Thick brine base…

Hour Ten: A Hungry Fox Tonight I had to duck an empty tin can pitched at my head. Can you imagine having someone throw things at you while you tried to get some dinner? I’m sure you’ve heard all names they call me: tricky, sneaky,…

content warning: descriptive metaphors using mild gore and body horror i bite my tongue. copper-red and bitter acid i make sure to swallow, hold back. my own toxicity, reconsumed, jittering. i have spent so many years carving at my flesh. i look into the mirror,…

How do I describe you Innocently blue Like song and sadness you do swoon Jaded in time They call you black when you’re blue-green Iridescent cerulean-teal sheen A corvid by any other name You and other birds are not the same You and your brethren…

A Notion That Slays (Valkyrie Kerry) A climax permeated with crimson cognizance, Welted marks from your teeth exquisitely endured, Our bodies one, sordid notions of pain abound. My head rests on you in the aftermath, Romantic notions of the macabre dominate discourse, Suggestions of a…

King of the Jungle He strutted up to the pack To the kill And growled And growled again They all looked at him but no one moved He pounded the floor Front feet together Standing his ground The spoils were his He was the king…

The unleased dog ran around free, With unconcealed, uncontrolled glee, New human he found, Pushed him to the ground, What a disloyal dog was he! Note: The poem is a limerick (8,8,5,5,8 syllables; 1,2,5 rhyme; 3 & 4 rhyme)

Constantly on the move, never takes a break Loud ticking, always keeps you awake Over and over Clock needles go round Keep to time, at least for the clock’s sake   This poem is an acrostic disguised as a limerick!