"Collection"

published in New Feathers Anthology

Based on the title, this poem could have been about many things. I identify as a ‘collector’ with nearly compulsive tendencies to pick up feathers, rocks, bugs, shells,

One of my most prized collections is my collection of skulls, which started when I was a child via owl pellet dissection. They contained mostly shrew and mouse skulls, but a seed of fascination was planted. My collection expanded over time to include a wild pig, a beaver, a crow, and others. Some skulls I attempted to recover were too damaged, like a road-killed snapper turtle that smelled absolutely horrible and turned out not to be worth the effort and stench. Others are so delicate and fragile that I am scared to handle them, like the song birds. All of them are really cool.

My poem “Collection”, published by New Feathers Anthology, is about these animal skulls and how a preoccupation with bones is a peculiar proclivity.

A few of my specimens: raccoon, beaver, crow, squirrels, rabbit

New Feathers Anthology has been wonderful to work with! They paired my poem with a perfect graphic and have been communicative and friendly! I cannot say this is true for all other poetry journals. Each year New Feathers also compiles a print anthology and I’m already looking forward to holding that in my hands sometime next year.

Poetry continues to teach me a lot of lessons. The lessons of this submission were 1) I have to keep submitting all. the. time. I was nudged by one of my poetry buddies to submit in May/June. Lo and behold, this poem got accepted. 2) Why am I such a loose cannon in terms of punctuation in poetry?! Ha! Something to work on.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this poem :)

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Currently reading: The Women by Kristin Hannah

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Recent internet search of note: Germinating Ginkgo seeds

I have my eye on a nearby ginkgo that is bearing fruit. No action is needed until the fruit starts falling off the tree.