The 2River View, 27.3 (Spring 2023)

The 2River View	27.3 (Spring 2023)

Dana DeFranco

1 + 1 = 11

there were leeks and there were mushrooms.
there was sickness in my throat.

there were too many leeks and too many onions but
the mushrooms tricked my throat.

this is how we evade disease.

put the pot aside. put the pipe on the counter. smoke a bit
to unbridle the nerves. shiver it away. shapeshift through
the window. this is where the dust crusts under the
smokescreen. this is where dirt washes into the carport.
this is where you know you are mad enough to laugh at
the torrents and welcome in the breeze, but when they
knock, knock, knock
be careful who you answer.

What I’m missing is what I miss

You know,
they don’t want us to have this conversation
and I really don’t want to hear
any pontification,

can you
tell me a story
talk to me
story me to death

can you tell me something other than
what you read
in an article?

tell me about your life
tell me about an about

I remember when
people greeted each
other with
what do you know—
and on a good
day, we sat and
told stories,
trying to figure each other out
trying to figure out us all /
not fancy
but fine enough

Dana DeFranco is a writer and educator in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her poetry has been published in Northridge Review, The Raven's Perch, and Troublemaker Firestarter. DeFranco is completing her MFA at Mills College in Oakland, California.

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