A Poem by Kellyanne Fitzgerald
rot manifesto
i refuse to tell a sad story.
it’s not that i don’t believe in them
or feel the grey - i am queasy with old dreams.
new fears climb my throat every morning
gentle as the cats who breathe in my arms.
but i make myself think of gilded leaves
and pretend it’s my own personal revolution.
if there must be someone to tell about the rot
there must be someone to tell about the rain
and the whimsy, silly dewdrops catching spiderwebs.
wetness of the ground, mushrooms like little angels
all blooming. significance of sunlight through branches
clouds swallowing it up. thin rays pulling free like cornsilk.
i am paying attention, i am not diminishing
my eyes are wide enough for both.
Kellyanne Fitzgerald is a writer and artist based in Madison, Wisconsin. In her free time she enjoys language learning, fiber arts, and folk art illustration.