JESSICA TOWNS
To Kathy when, on phoenix wings, she flies
above the evergreens, beyond the rain
from nimbus clouds to California skies
to dry her feathers in the sun again:
May silty sand between your toes revive
your feet. May Muses surf the salty waves.
May every veggie in your garden thrive,
and let each path you travel be unpaved.
And may your trek be long and sometimes hard
like childbirth—may it empower you.
And may the tears from our umbrella’d hearts
bedew the dirt beneath your flowers. You,
dear friend, will soar above this drizzly town,
but when our hands point skyward, please look down.
Licton Springs Review 2017 