by Emily Pettit
THE SEAHORSE IN THE MANGROVE
Jan Drove could not make herself look like the mangrove. It was a great disappointment to her and the mangrove. Jan Drove made herself look like a lot of different things, but not the mangrove. She looked like a lady who had lost her love. It was not very mangrove. She looked like destructive rage arranged on the face of a man. It was not very mangrove. She looked like a little kid who had lost their Lego. It was not very mangrove. She looked like an ice floe. She was a flop. She was a seahorse that everyone could see. It was not how to be in the mangrove. Jan Drove drove herself mad trying to look like the mangrove.
SITUATION
Ida Ott thought about the situation at the grocery store. Ike Ott did not. At work Ida Ott thought about the situation. Ike Ott did not. Ida Ott thought about the situation at the mechanics. Ike Ott did not. Looking at a waxing crescent moon Ida Ott thought about the situation. Ike Ott did not. Paying bills Ida Ott thought about the situation. Ike Ott did not. Playing with the dog in the grass Ida Ott thought about the situation. Ike Ott did not. Tidying up the house Ida Ott thought about the situation. Ike Ott did not. At dinner with friends Ida Ott thought about the situation. Ike Ott did not. Brushing her teeth Ida Ott thought about the situation. Ike Ott did not. Reaching for something on a high shelf Ida Ott thought about the situation. Ike Ott did not. Before falling asleep Ida Ott thought about the situation and Ike Ott did not.
Emily Pettit is the author of Goat In The Snow (Birds LLC) and Blue Flame (Carnegie Mellon University Press).