Brush your hair—
let the bristles
remind you
you are still here
Divide your hair, your heart
in three sections,
long and waiting
Bring the middle third
in front of the front third,
then the back third
between those two
Cross down and down over
cross and cross
anger over denial
over bargaining
Now, let your fingers
run down and over
the pattern,
the concepts
and start over and over,
accepting the tightness of
loss
Katrin Talbot
Australian-born Katrin Talbot’s collection The Waiting Room for the Imperfect Alibis was just released from Kelsay Books and The Devil Orders A Latte and Falling Asleep at the Circus are forthcoming from Fernwood Press and Turning Point Books respectively. She has seven chapbooks, two Pushcart Prize nominations and quite a few chickens. www.katrintalbot.com
Portage Magazine 