2024 Barrett Winner
5th Place Kalimah Gardner
Misery.
A disease.
A reminder.
A song constantly playing.
I push repeat as I see its melodies
running frantically across my mind.
Moving furniture within my groins.
A permanent stranger running its crooked feet
across my welcome mat.
I hear a knock.
Like a child screaming
for hands to hold,
I fetch the door.
It smiles the same grin,
my cheeks begin to burn.
We seem to greet each other
easily.
And as the sun continues to chase the moon,
and the sky blushes the perfect blue,
I am drawn to it.
A broken record.
I can’t help but play.
My fingers a fiend to its rhythm.
Is it something that can be slain?
Use my mighty sword
as if killing a monster I envisioned as a child.
Or, will it be resilient?
And we’d be forever intertwined by our
parasitic friendship.
At least I’d never be lonely.
Misery.
Grasping my fallen heart with its
loyal hands,
as I kiss its faithful lips.
Misery.
A song.
The perfect stranger,
I can’t help but tragically love.