my grandmother tells me
this story
about a pigeon seeking acceptance
among a flock of blue jays.
like a child
hemorrhaging time
she tells me:
the pigeon rubs hydrangeas
on his feathers
trying to become delicate
like the petals.
the pigeon plucks berries
whole, trying to learn
how to become blue.
I listen to her lips:
they sound like grief
as she tells me
the pigeon dies
trying to swallow the sky.
Julia Merante is a senior creative writing major at SUNY Geneseo in Upstate NY. She not only loves writing poetry, but she also loves her waitressing job at a crepe cafe and watching crime movies with her mom. After graduating, Julia plans on attending law school to continue using her words to tell stories—this time for others. She is excited to see where writing can take her.
