Guidelines



Submission Guidelines: Send 1-3 unpublished poems in the body of an email (NO ATTACHMENTS) to nvneditor[at]gmail.com. No simultaneous submissions. Use "Verse News Submission" as the subject line. Send a brief bio. No payment. Authors retain all rights after 1st-time appearance here. Scroll down the right sidebar for the fine print.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

THE PARANOIA OF A CLINIC ESCORT ON HER AFTERNOON WALK

by Phyllis Wax


Are you the one who blocked the sidewalk,
called out “Murderer!”
as I walked the trembling teen
to the clinic door?

The sun’s in my eyes
Shoot me down
Now’s the time

Off to the east
the darkening lake,
a few sails heading in

Let me die with that scene in my mind,
the blinding glaze of sun
in my eyes so I can’t see the gun
or your backlit face          Teach me
your lesson of life


Phyllis Wax escorts patients at an abortion clinic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Among the publications her poetry has appeared in are Out of Line, Free Verse, Ars Medica and The New Verse News.
__________________________________________________