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.