Poetry by Jehanne Dubrow

Love, instead, that groups // are known as plagues, / annoyances.

Song for a Grackle in the Kroger Parking Lot

Don’t hate the scavenger.

In daylight, it’s purple-

stained, iridescence

of oil spilled on asphalt,

its body like a rag rung out.

Love, instead, that groups

are known as plagues,

annoyances. Love

the reflective eye that stares,

how everywhere is home.

Time has a way of driving

over us. Love the choice

a grackle makes—

to tear the silver insides

of a candy wrapper,

to pick apart the leavings,

to sing and sing despite

the rusted metal of its throat.

Jehanne Dubrow is author of six poetry collections, including most recently Dots & Dashes (SIUP 2017), winner of the Crab Orchard Open Competition Award. Her work has appeared in The Southern Review, New England Review, Pleiades, and Copper Nickel. She is an Associate Professor of creative writing at the University of North Texas.