February 27, 2008 by Melanie Alberts.

Like birdseed stuck between the cracks
either something will grow or
make a meal for ants. Not that her words
caught you by surprise—

alive, the language clings to your teeth
like a Berkshire pesto: walnuts, cheddar,
skunk cabbage and belief.
Downstairs, the men fix their gadgets

upstairs, the woman cleans her under
garments with yesterday’s rain.
Bits of conversation meet on the stairs:
“I will not leave you” and “I will be right up”

each said with its own condescension.
Pray, when you are called home,
that there’s something tasty in the larder,
more filling than words written on brown paper.

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February 20, 2008 by Melanie Alberts.

early voting
at the grocery store–
hard plums
expensive grapes
smiles everywhere

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February 15, 2008 by Melanie Alberts.

frantic sniffs
up the mailbox post–
walking the dogs
before sundown
and a sudden rain

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February 6, 2008 by Melanie Alberts.

fishing lesson—
sea colors shimmy
on minnow’s skin

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