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Overcast, by Stephanie Roberts

Posted on September 24, 2019

you’ve tasted the soup

of scorched tomato and broccoli

that set your teeth on edge

but you’ve not met that loss

that permanently skews

the jaw

grief that plants

sunset in the eye forever

remember the high-spirited mum

with a quick and rainbow smile

whose daughter died at nine

many decades ago

she carries that weather

like an open umbrella

bills got paid

lovers found

and lost found

and lost and lost

but it stayed

it stays

a reason for it makes you believe

in god

it makes you hate it

–your belief.

 

From The Sixty-Four best poets of 2018, Black Mountain Press

 

*First Place Poet ~ Stephanie Roberts*

Stephanie Roberts is our first place poet. In 2018, she had work featured or forthcoming in over four dozen periodicals and anthologies. A 2018 Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee, she was born in Central America, grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and is a longtime resident of Quebec, Canada. A recent manuscript finalist for the Two Sylvias Press Wilder Poetry prize, her previous publications include Verse Daily, Atlanta Review, Reunion: The Dallas Review, Crannog Magazine, great weather for MEDIA, and Occulum. She will be a BoxSet Series featured poet with Oxidant/Engine in 2019.