getting through
the gloom of it
green spring clouds of it
drizzle wet skin of it
branches sagging of it
hair curls of it
sangria sweating of it
gravel rolling of it
fire ant bite of it
car blast of it
whoop and holler
out the window of it
record heat of it
bad breath of it
Sunday night
blues of it
just as the wind
picks up
Sorry, We No Longer Offer Bereavement Fares
Laura Van Prooyen is author of three collections of poetry: Frances of the Wider Field (Lily Poetry Review Books) Our House Was on Fire (Ashland Poetry Press) nominated by Philip Levine and winner of the McGovern Prize and Inkblot and Altar (Pecan Grove Press). She is also co-author with Gretchen Bernabei of Text Structures from Poetry, a book of writing lessons for educators of grades 4-12 (Corwin Literacy). Van Prooyen is the Managing Editor for The Cortland Review, and she facilitates free online workshops with Community Building Art Works for healthcare workers and military families. She is the founder of Next Page Press and lives in San Antonio, TX. www.lauravanprooyen.com