The child calls, sweetly, softly let’s go, please, I’m asking quietly the woman shaking her head, says no, I must finish. The child calls, yearning, longing let’s play, I have something important to show you, and I have something important to say the woman, furrowed brow replies no, not today. The child calls, isn’t it […]
Betty the Best by Kim Valzania
Betty the Best What I remember about you is this The way you smoked those long brown Mores forever the way your velour outfits always matched top to bottom your quick to giggle your clever wit your phony German accent your perfect Catholic School handwriting the way you danced your little jig your one ball […]
Dear Mrs. Stevens by Kim Valzania
Dear Mrs. Stevens, who told me I could write You were old and you were mean and you hardly ever smiled – but you did sometimes Mrs. Stevens, and you told me I could write Your stiffly buttoned Oxford shirts, your mannish, leather Oxford shoes, your giant Oxford dictionary (“just look it up!”) you told me […]