Dread, 2020

by Patrice Boyer Claeys

Under the folds of my brain

I caught you sneaking around in my mind

—Corona—     

understanding somehow

you are everywhere

with one red eye.

*

Something as silent as the essential spaces of breath

is descending:

terrible, careless

with unstoppable force. If we

forget for a minute

and drink it in

breath      by      breath

we all become

a migraine in the dark.

Like moths in cotton, panic

twists its veiny neck.

Cento sources:  Brandi Gentry, Kaitlin LaMoine Martin, Martin Mikelberg, Lauren Goodwin Slaughter, Amy Lowell, sam sax, Pattiann Rogers, Sarah E. Barber, Jennifer Grotz, Victoria Kelly, David Wagoner, Dennis Schmitz, Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Fady Joudah, Mike Dockins, Cymelle Leah Edwards

* * * * *

Patrice Boyer Claeys is the author of two full-length poetry collections, The Machinery of Grace (2020) and Lovely Daughter of the Shattering (2019). Recent work appears or is forthcoming in Zone 3, Glassworks Magazine, Literary Mama, Inflectionist Review, Pirene’s Fountain and Aeolian Harp Anthology 5. Patrice was nominated for a Pushcart Prize (2019) and Best of the Net (2019, 2014). She lives in Chicago and can be found online at www.patriceboyerclaeys.com.