the stories we tell ourselves

by Caroline Reddy

You tried to stitch your songs

to my throat —

and with each word you spoke

I drifted farther from beach parties

and further 

into the Manhattan sky.

I swallowed time capsules 

to shape a future

without your noise.

You diluted my music box

and coiled us into an endless loop

that widened our trails.

Thus, our trial began:

I hid my twin flame 

and danced with swords 

as the winter solstice

isolated us within our insecurities.

Scenarios became faint —

peaks faded from 

a mountain of memories

and a starless night.

I played with magnets 

to force our stories to part.

Caroline Reddy’s work has been published in Active Muse,  Calliope, Clinch, Clockwise Cat, Deep Overstock, Grey Sparrow,  International Human Rights Arts Festival and Starline among others.. In the fall of 2021, her poem “A Sacred Dance” was nominated for the Best of The Net prize by Active Muse. Caroline Reddy was born in Shiraz, Iran and is currently participating in the exhibit “Playing in Wonderland.” Recently Caroline performed her poetry and led an artist talk on Mohammad Barrangi's exhibition.