A Poem by Chloe Bausano

As the storm outside hits its stride I feel
that I am sitting inside of an inverse goldfish
bowl. A pink, felt cowboy hat that I bought in
Tennessee watches me peer through the heavy
droplets on the window, pressing me into this

cocoon of peppermint tea, heavy blankets, and
memories. Days like this call for photo albums
that lump your throat with dust, and birthday cards
from childhood, that somehow have made it through

many years of spring cleaning. A to-do-list sits untouched,
save for a doodle which came to life as tasks were initially
sorted, and a crack of thunder calls down hello from the sky.

If an angel were to peer into this fish tank menagerie on
earth, right now, I’m sure I’d look much the way my betta fish
appears when I perceive her each morning, awaiting breakfast.

Chloe Bausano is a New York City poet who holds a degree in English Literature from Cornell University. She has previously been published by Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Cathexis Northwest Press, Eris & Eros, and the Dillydoun Review. Her work centers around nostalgia and childhood, and she enjoys playing with writing form.