Jillian Stankewich

Rodeo and Ink

He tells his mother that his brain is not broken
And that someday everything will be okay
For him and her

He feels regret that he cannot save them all
But it will happen soon
When the sky opens and chaos begins
He tells his mother that he’s here right now

Just the choices we’ve made
And nothing else
The wax stains the universe

As the dog runs away
His mother tells him the medicine can stop
Because there is a possibility but no proof

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Author Bio

Jillian Stankewich is a native of Rochester, NY. A graduate of Oswego State University’s Creative Writing program, she is currently a civil servant for the State of New York. Her work has appeared in Foliate Oak, Hazmat, Great Lake Review and In Other Words: An American Poetry Anthology.