Bread&Poetry

I Will Keep Broken Things by Alice Walker I will keep Broken Things: The big clay Pot With raised Iguanas Chasing Their Tails; Two Of their Wise Heads Sheared Off; I will keep Broken things: The old Slave Market Basket Brought To my Door By Mississippi A jagged Hole Gouged In its sturdy Dark Oak Side. I will keep Broken things: The memory Of Those Long Delicious Night Swims With You; I will keep Broken things: In my house There Remains An Honored Shelf On which I will Keep Broken Things. Their beauty Is They Need Not Ever Be … Read more

It’s early morning. Light is starting to filter through the shades drawn low to keep the cool night Oregon air inside. You hear the first signs of the household stirring. You’re alone with the ovens firing behind you and dough on the counter ready to go in. This is open before you:   from Citizen, Part V by Claudia Rankine   In line at the drugstore it’s finally your turn, and then it’s not as he walks in front of you and puts his things on the counter. The cashier says, Sir, she was next. When he turns to … Read more