Flying Island

The Day Mother Gave the Cat Away by Katherine Simmons The day that she gave the cat away she felt so desperate and bone-draining tired— for yes, a young mother’s fatigue and dismay bears fruit in deeds that are poorly inspired. She felt so desperate and achingly tired. The kids wouldn’t nap and their moods became sour, bearing fruit in deeds that were poorly inspired. Her whole house declined to a mad swirling howl. The kids wouldn’t nap and their moods became sour. The sweet baby shrieked and flailed in display. The whole house declined to a mad swirling howl. The pet snake escaped and was getting away. The mad baby screamed and put on a display. Sister pinched her balloon and laughed when it burst. The pet snake escaped and slithered away across sister’s lap and up under her shirt. Sister grabbed the balloon and squeezed ’til it burst. They giggled with glee at the runaway snake, as it crossed sister’s lap and hid in her shirt. Mother sighed with despair a...

Family Photo by Michele Mattice The furrows on my mother’s face frame her features, like a photo of a warm, familiar place as comfortable as home. Her features—a framed photo, crinkled as fine linen and comfortable as home— tell a story, draw me in. Linen-crinkled skin pulls her coffee-colored eyes into a squint, as I’m drawn in to the depth of her soft smile. Her coffee-colored eyes dance as memories, retold, deepen her soft smile, each worth more than gold. We dance to stories told— a near-century of life— treasured more than gold; years as mother, teacher, wife. A near-century of life, yet beauty never clearer. Years as mother, teacher, wife grace the face seen in the mirror. Graceful beauty ever clearer, born of a familiar place. I look into the mirror, I see my mother’s face. Bio: "A native of upstate New York, I currently reside in Indianapolis with my husband and son. I have studied poetry under Shari Wagner, Micah Ling, Allison Jose...