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This writing was accepted for publication in the 108 page perfect-bound ISSN# / ISBN# issue/book “Distances” Down in the Dirt v213 (11/23) Order the paperback book:

Order this writing that appears in the one-of-a-kind anthology Instant Karma the Down in the Dirt September-December 2023 issues collection book		get the 422 page September-December 2023 Down in the Dirt 6" x 9" ISBN# perfect-bound paperback book:

Telling

Mary Paulson

I’ve never climbed
a tree
though I lost
my balance
and broke my arm
in two places: wrist
and forearm.

I’ve never
pierced
my eyebrow but
it didn’t hurt.

I’ve never seen
my eyes
yield to green
from brown
when I’ve cried, in fact,
I’ve never cried.

I’ve never been
so scared
as when someone
never took to
bouncing my body
off opposing walls
like a basketball.

No one’s ever
come towards me
with a bicycle
chain, thick metal braid
passing casually
from his one hand
to the next.

I’ve never known
what it’s like to
freeze when I should be
taking off fast.

I’ve never
picked up a pen
at 4am, wrote for what
seemed like
minutes and ended up
facing sunrise— that
never happens
all the time.

Has anyone ever
seen a solitary
red balloon floating
and not felt
untethered themselves?

Have you ever
felt yourself
so lightweight—
insubstantial, you thought
you might lift off
like that balloon, burn up
in the atmosphere?

Have you ever said
I love you, later wondered
if it was
really true?

Isn’t human deception
as wide as an ocean?
Does it matter
if I’ve never told a lie?

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