DUST CLOUD BUSTING

by Emma Younger

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lay, dimpled with cat litter, on my studio floor.
haircut stringed hairs on the back of my neck.

cat claws against the hardwood,
an air conditioner on its last legs.

why are you telling this story again?
the grey cat wonders,

crawling up my arms, legs, face.
is there anything to be gained by going back there?

the orange cat screams loud.
i gasp, close my jaw.

anything can get tangled up in there.
ask: which of these details felt useful to you?

the one where you break the spell? or the one 
where you are no

longer alone

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Emma Younger (she/her/hers) is originally from Portland, OR, now writing and reading in Chicago, IL. She is currently interested in cats, folk music, sparkling water, and the mirco and the macro-- where the individual meets the universal in her work. @emmarain27 on insta. @emmaraincloud on twitter.