| FRAGILE X PARENT
by Timothy Pilgrim Again he paces at our bed, restless, but happy as each of 18 previous years, now 6 feet tall, at 6 a.m. — he needs a shave, his diaper, full. He roams her side, then mine, gives the comforter a tug. "Today, dentist. Dentist" he says. "Today. Dentist. Dentist." We had been seizing pre-dawn quiet, hoping again, just sex, the two of us, alone, but Clonidine worn off, he is early, not understanding chromosome weakened, passed down mother to son — hope diluted — instead, intent on the dentist, and, yes — "clean me, wipe, cereal in the deep bowl, white, not the blue, the white." Like yesterday, and the day before, he will wear the black pants, blue shirt, with stripes, watch the same cartoons, eat Special K again, not fully know "custody," "ward of state," "guardian," "emancipation," "judge," "group home" — only care she or I awake, rise, turn on Scooby Doo, find clean diapers, fill the deep bowl, pure white. |
Art by Benjamin Norman Pierce |
| MAKING THE ROUNDS i
by Benjamin Norman Pierce anger curves round to strike at resignations' angles resignations' angles fold back from failure's certain point failures' certain point founds the circumference that binds it the circumference that binds it brings angers' curve to its heated home angers' curve to its heated home meets fractal digression fractal digression meanders elsewhere laden with anecdotes' tasks elsewhere, laden with anecdotes' tasks gives openness to audient laughter audient laughter gives loud twin birth to repetition and compact pith repetition and compact pith walk out one door to different rounds repetition walks round again to a hot and waiting home |
| PROPER ADJUSTMENTS
by Mary Ocher Big blue veins I wish they'd be any other color but blue But they don't care, see — Opposing your wishes they grow and spread and take hostage of the body as it opens, and the blue veins conquer: "We have always been the emperors, We have always ruled this waste-place, and nobody else but us." |
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