Sarah Karowski

is an entire city tucked
away behind the trees — I bet
no one knew it was there, at first.
like an elven kingdom, ransacked
by humanity, now the elves only come
out to play during thunderstorms,
or cool summer breezes.
you can feel the magic in the stillness of the night,
you can see them, sometimes, hiding in the canopies
of trees, they’re crying out for their home
but no one can hear them through the college bars
and loud coffee shops, and vegan-friendly pizza parlors—
but if you stand for a minute in the middle of Meridian Road,
just look up. they’re dancing with cicadas.
they’re singing psalms to the stars.

I can manipulate your world,
infect your heart,
slowly contort your thoughts
to my design—
Who are you really, if
I control your mind?
this sorcery of verbiage,
this spellwork of editing,
through these scratches on
thin trees, I can bring you to your
ragged knees, you are no one—
dear reader—no one
without me.

it never stops.
this bass that’s
boom—boom—booming—
constant running
heaving breathing
infinitesimal worry
break—break—breaking—
now it’s done.
wide-eyed, searching,
updown updown updown
there
she sits. with her notebook
filled with crimson—teeth?
looking up, she spots me—
smiling little wings
she’s gone—my gothic angel—
gone to the Haudenosaunee—
why?
close eyes, comes this yearning
pangs of mortality did
pierce my gut, now this
flowing—this essence—
my entirety—flowing, gushing, bursting—

now dry
and so, I cry, salty
tears of jejunity
paradoxical lust
to mean something
to anyone, but—no—
–don’t leave this room
–don’t step out this cage
–stew in this pain
–you deserve this
youknowyoudo—
now quiet.

open again—slight chirping,
sun kissed cheeks ever warming,
on soft, calm, green—
turn to see you next to me,
you’re smiling with two missing teeth—
no worries—
ephemeral tranquility
disturbed by a
BEEP BEEP BEEP—