Straight Pin by Kayla McAuliffe

Straight Pin

by Kayla McAuliffe

Three days after Christmas vou

carefully navigate the regular roads.

This corner,

the snow drifted so far

two lanes turn into one.

I'm different, you know

Worse maybe. I can't

get through the day

without coffee

Your smile like

a straight pin through my

lung. You don't

believe me.

- Don 'l laugh. I'm

different.

Outside your window:

twenty-seven late geese flying south.

South, away.

They know:

There is something about

back roads, snowdrifts,

Pennsylvania at six o'clock

(What is it?) that keeps

you seventeen

forever.

There is something about

home that

doesn't let you change.