[M45] by Romalyn Ante
“a child told me he wanted to drink bleach; / certain he will never be healed.” — Romalyn Ante
Hawk by Rick Barot
“I thought of the question the choreographer asked her gathered dancers: What do you do in order to be loved?” — Rick Barot
False Poetics by Gretchen Filart
“When I see humans / I am crushed at how much / plastic makes walking stars.” — Gretchen Filart
Certain Outlines Can Only Be Imagined by Asa Drake
“Honestly, it's the wrong year / to write a love poem.” — Asa Drake
[God gave a Loaf to every Bird —] by Emily Dickinson
“God gave a Loaf to every Bird— / But just a Crumb— to Me— / I dare not / eat it—” — Emily Dickinson
#38 [I have observed pink monks eating blue raisins] by José García Villa
“Indeed I have observed and myself have partaken / of blue and pink raisins. But my joy was different: / My joy was to see the blue and the pink counterpointing.” — José García Villa
San Maló by Luisa A. Igloria
“Never mind / that the bruise from such a severance / might not heal.” — Luisa A. Igloria
In the Tradition of Women Who’ve Blessed Me to Transfer Their Virtues by Asa Drake
“One year / in the middle of my life // I asked how full do I want to be.” — Asa Drake
Instead, I’m Here to Tell You Very Softly by Oliver de la Paz
“it's summer again and the undulant rows / of banners break my heart every time” — Oliver de la Paz
Suppose You Were A Moray Eel by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
“Let us wait here in this coral cave and count the number of smelt that swim / by. Let them go, all of them.” — Aimee Nezhukumatathil