Wolf
I have no other
ransom money, nothing to break
or barter but my life.
—Diane di Prima
Night View, Base Camp, East of Kyiv
There aren’t as many stars tonight
As once there were before
When the Monsters Come Out
Nighttime is when the monsters come out,
With their claws and their jaws
That gnash all about.
To the Child Watching His Grandmother Sew
Image: “Seamstress” by Lily Prigioniero. “To the Child Watching His Grandmother Sew” was written by Bradford Kimball for Rattle’s Ekphrastic Challenge, August 2023, and selected as the Editor’s Choice.
Speak
However difficult a door may be to open,
once you find the key it becomes easy.
—Enta Kusakabe