Issue > Poetry
Eva Skrande

Eva Skrande

Eva Skrande’s poems have appeared or are forthcoming in The Iowa Review, APR, Ploughshares, Clockwise Cat, Prick of the Spindle and others. Her chapbook, The Gates of the Somnambulist, was published by Thomas Lux's Jeanne Duval Editions, and her book, My Mother's Cuba, was selected by Andrew Hudgins for the River City Poetry Series.

Ode to Morning – after Thomas Lux


Because I woke up this morning,
and, like a black spider, the night
                                   had eaten the pink insect of debt.

Because the green grass was beautiful.

Because I woke up this morning
and the narcissist had stopped
            taking the rose of joy

from everyone's mouth.
                                   
                                     Because I woke up this morning
and it was to be a day without floods,
earthquakes and blight.
Because those jailed without justice
were marrying the light.

Because all the lonely woke up together
and there was no need for aubades.

Because exiles were home
on their islands of hope.
Because I opened the door
to a madrigal of blue skies
                        and a necklace of white clouds.

Because I woke up this morning

and remembered that what gave us life
was taking it back, yes,

               but in small increments of beauty.

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