Holly Day

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I wanted the kids at school to like me
so I stole candy bars
to pass out during recess and of course
they knew I stole the candy

so I told them Cheryl Tiegs
was my aunt
and I stole bubblegum cards
no one believed the Cheryl Tiegs lie
but they ate my candy anyway.

Letting Go of the Conceit

Imparting tiny grains of colored sand with intricate thoughts
Until one giant flower covered the ground. It was so beautiful
I wanted take it home with me.

After it was done, the little man smeared great swaths of color against itself until
It was nothing but white sand.
It should have changed my life. I should have taken it away with me
Let his day disappear in the pursuit of beauty, but just the beauty of the moment.

I fully intended to go home and erase everything I had ever written
As the artist’s apparent satisfaction at the act of creation
Should be enough for me, too.
But I didn’t.

Holly Day has taught writing classes at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, since 2000. Her poetry has recently appeared in Big Muddy, The Cape Rock, New Ohio Review, and Gargoyle, and her published books include Walking Twin Cities, Music Theory for Dummies, and Ugly Girl. She has been a featured presenter at Write On, Door County (WI), Northwoods Writer's Festival (CA), and the Spirit Lake Poetry Series (MN). Her newest poetry collections, A Perfect Day for Semaphore (Finishing Line Press) and The Yellow Dot of a Daisy (Alien Buddha Press) will be out late 2018.