Stephanie Cawley

“I want to believe
we’re all in it
together. But this

is America. Here,
we’re ready to light
each other’s hair

on fire. If the world
were on fire,
at least we’d all be in it

together, except for
the bears
floating by on boats

of ice. The deer
were in it together,
if it means forest

fire, or smoke.
Here, there should be
a gold ring

that makes it clear
the subject
is love. Here,

a line about birds.
But I am done
with the small bodies

that hold together
a pair of wings.
All the wings

are in this together,
a vast conspiracy
of flapping, like gravity

wasn’t the one
thing holding us
in place.”
― Stephanie Cawley