All Articles by Christine Byrne

Stems

the unfortunate – sadmen – my gas station earrings – you didn’t see the future in hints –

 

the world exploded at the kitchen sink – left daffodil stems – colliding into – stacked

 

disappointments – collections of memories per person – tabs on where we’d end – liked

 

gas station earrings – the world – ran home – curled in new disappointment – cut sadmen

 

– you didn’t pay attention

The Particulars of Theredness 

Outside I watch a waitress through the diner of windows

she’s in yellow in the middle of the night

 

Debacled in sameness,                                  placed                   particulars

Serve platters of tuna on rye

 

indifferent

 

glasses of water

 

Do you want lemon, she asks twice,

Do you want the wedge to compliment

 

your water

 

I wonder, it’s truly 

 

difficult, she resists her life story

 

Interior designed out of which decade?

 

No one orders lemon meringue  

 

She wipes her hair wipes her hands on her apron

 

Practices a particular 

 

Expression, she evolves from 

 

towns ensprinkled encased by windows,

 

the regulars & specials      

 

(insofar) walks (insofar)         talks the waitress         refills coffee

stops by the fridge for milk maybe sour