Art Makes You Happy That’s what it says on the mugcold coffee half-full, oat milkin pretty swirls on the surfacelike cloud cover, and the skyis cloudy again today, but atleast it’s not raining. The pooloverflowed and the mosquitoesin attack-mode took aim at mycheeks when I trimmed themimosa tree. Mimosa, isn’t thata lovely word? The tree… Continue reading POEM A DAY – July 6
Tag: summer
POEM A DAY – July 4
Pools Conca Verde Srl, Italy, 1996* Zia Silvana wears fairytale-apple red onher lips a black bathing suit, her breastsheave in the dazzling sun. The pool stretchesbefore me, an Italian dare. Hundreds ofpeople gather on a perfect summer afternoonat the waterpark as my stomach stormswith anxiety. Barriers like bricks on chainstied to my throat: can’t speak… Continue reading POEM A DAY – July 4
POEM A DAY – July 3
Puce, late 80s Mid-summer. A for-free cottage. My mom’s ex-boyfriend’s generosity exposed in hot sand. A tennis court out front. red leather chairs that ripped the back of my thighs. ketchup and mustard. Boiled hot dogs. The blue and red dots of Wonderbread bags. Mastering the front walkover on sand-covered crabgrass. A lake we couldn’t swim in. The boy my sister… Continue reading POEM A DAY – July 3
VANESSA SHIELDS 