Everyone receives gifts they neither need nor want—bath salts for people who only shower, a frilly nightgown wrapped up for someone who sleeps in sweatpants, that 27th tie . . . Sometimes we return
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Hannah Rousselot (she/her) has published two long works, Fragments of You (Kelsay Press) and Ocean Currents (forthcoming from Finishing Line Press). You can follow her work on facebook.com/hmrpoetry or @hannahrousselot, or at hannahrousselot.com. "Flipside" is in Short Circuit #04, Short Édition's quarterly review.
If you find my sorrow
keep it. It has been too long
festering and coagulating
and self congratulating.
And I, unbound by it,
might maybe hopefully finally
reach those floating cities
perched on colossal turtles
whose shadows we grieve under
and leave us begging for purchase.
But probably likely doubtlessly
I will just end up pining for it
the same way the sand longs for
the tiny creatures leaving their eggshells
that disturb its grainy pattern
leave into turbulent and bitter water.
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