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Issue # 5 September 2011
"... brevity is the soul of wit ..."
- William Shakespeare

Ramona Itule-Patigian


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You Must Pay Attention

Most times we were there, but that night
it was too late or too early when my mother
dragged her burning couch through the hall
and living room out into the backyard
She said she must have fallen asleep, nodded out
with a burning cigarette clipped between her fingers
and we were all sleeping when she suddenly awoke
burdened by flames, she said she thought of us and
pulled the whole damn thing outside in her white nightgown
hosing down the corpse of fabric and springs
In the morning, we all laughed nervously, shook our heads
gathered around and stared at what was left and
it was still alright, if you just ignored the black hole