JILL KHOURY

red ode

arrhythmia clots of cloud in the blue arrhythmia dove trill and coo
arrhythmia covers the distance in a hop           skip & dawdle arrrrr
hythmia tapping the echo element smells like gasoline arrhythmia
numb numb gravel breath drink bleach throw a tantrum hands
in the air arrhythmia eyes held in a glass by the bed drop the mallet
of my love o’er your head arr arr hh hh hythmia on tv the sparkling
snare deceives sight lines the camera pans gently over the pond
arrhythmia arrives like 10K words in the mail that is some love
letter arrhythmia why don’t you paint how it feels flick slick squish
squelch a sea of red garbage bottom of the bin arrhythmia
my anxiety steps on a pile of pushpins arrhythmia seven snows
melt in seven fields here i hide under furry blanket fingers
to pulse point here is my skeptical face about body lit
stripped arrhythmia is my only love now i shave i cook
her a stew i feel fine i feel fine • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••••

JILL KHOURY is a disabled poet. She is a Western Pennsylvania Writing Project fellow and has taught poetry in high school, university, and enrichment settings. She holds an MFA from The Ohio State University and edits Rogue Agent, a journal of embodied poetry and art. Her poems have appeared in numerous journals, including Copper Nickel, CALYX, diode, and The Shore. Winner of the Gatewood Prize from Switchback Books, her second full-length collection earthwork is forthcoming in 2024. Find her online at jillkhoury.com.