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Hands Down
Cathy Porter

It’s not the worry, or the dread
of an ending — but the days that

drag and fall off the radar without
a nod of recognition, or a shred of

excitement. It’s the half-moon we
no longer notice; the leaves that

turn colors without a compliment.
Seasons spin away from us, stay just

out of reach — the glass half full,
knocked off the table, no rescue

attempted. We’ve been dog-piled,
and fault lies with circumstance, not us —

but last night I watched you sleep
because I never can — and every year

we’ve added to the collection of us
stood tall in the darkness — a tiny speck

of light just outside our window drew
me in; a breath of respite, a dash

of hope — no moon to speak of —
but I’ll take a traffic light over

no light at all, hands down.

—
Cathy Porter’s poetry has appeared in Plainsongs, Homestead Review, California Quarterly, Hubbub, Cottonwood, Comstock Review, and various other journals. She has several chapbooks available from Finishing Line Press, Dancing Girl Press, and Maverick Duck Press. Bodies of One Breath is forthcoming in 2024 from Dancing Girl Press. Cathy has been nominated for several Pushcart Prizes. She lives in Omaha, NE.

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