As the winter vacation shrinks and dies, people will go back to school and still write poetry. For some reason.

The Editors,

Luis Rivas
Henry Ajumeze

—

Forgiveness
By Ronald Kichurchak Jr.

Shelly cowered in the corner

while the tears rolled down her face.

There was a shiner beneath her eye

and a bruise on her left cheek.

Blood trickled out her nose

as if it was a faucet whose handle

had not been cranked tight enough.

Mark stood near.

He said that he was sorry.

and reached out his hand for her,

but Shelly refused to look at him

and instead she covered her face with her hands.

Tomorrow she will cover it with make-up.

She can forgive him then,

after the bruises are hidden

beneath a fresh coat of concealer.

It will be easier to pretend

that it did not happen.

And once she believes that,

it will be easier to pretend

that it won’t happen again.

(more…)

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