The Literary Review
Reclaimed
Rainbows of makeup pencils
in unlabeled glass jars
clutter the top of the chest
she discovered in a local rubbish pile.
Its shiny black corners are chipped,
and some of the pearlescent birds
are missing feet and feathers,
but in the elegance of the old piece
there is enduring beauty.
- Christina E. Petrides
“Be Nimble”
Flexibility
and speed will take you beyond
expectations, man.
- Christina E. Petrides
Wanderer’s Dilemma
Leaning over a guardrail
late one winter evening,
heaving her carsick guts
into the abyss,
the traveler wondered
whether adventure
were as good for the soul
as it was unkind
to the digestive system.
- Christina E. Petrides