Paradise
There may not have been
research yet, but there was
the human ability to observe.
Collapsed into a garden. The
family, in retrospect, was not
happy at all, with its frequent
divorces, infrequent reunions,
and simple alcoholism. A
perimeter not erected but
emerged. Her mouth didn’t
open correctly, had what my
uncle called a hinge. He
leaped up then, pointed
across the table, and yelled
“That’s right, Heather, I am a
man, I do have a penis,” then
sat back down. As orange as
orange, at last. But what if
“getting out of your comfort
zone” is within your comfort
zone.
Andy Stallings lives in Deerfield, MA, where he teaches English and poetry at Deerfield Academy. He has four young children, and coaches cross country running. This poems is from Paradise, a collection of poems which will be published by Rescue Press in 2018.
