hypervigilance

by Melanie Robinson

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it’s not fair to say trust 
your intuition 
to an unstable person
—what a privilege 

to believe what you think 
to know you think it 
for certain of what travels 
through me can I believe?

the daddy long legs remains 
unsquished in the kitchen 
behold—such small eyes close 
together same as mine

must be nice to observe distinction
my sister dug her nails into 
her cheeks in the womb 
leaving four sickle scars 

on each side of her face
it’s night & I am already 
unsure what the heat 
felt like this morning

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As a poet, writer, educator and owner of a small content writing business, every aspect of Melanie's work—both creative and professional—is steeped in a reverence for communication. They hold an MFA in poetry from Texas State University and was the 2019-2020 Poet in Resident at the Clark House in Smithville, Texas. They were the recipient of a Damsite Residency in New Mexico and has been published by Rust + Moth, Radar, Roanoke Review, Barren Magazine, Burning House Press, The Boiler, Black Bough Poetry, University of Hell Press, Passengers Journal (forthcoming), Hot Pink (forthcoming) and Luna Luna Magazine (forthcoming). They were also a commissioned, featured artist for Luminaria: San Antonio Arts Festival in 2017.