by Carrie Magness Radna

I wanted to walk down the aisle
& see your beaming face
through my lacy veil

but my car was slammed
into the river; the veil
that now covers my face
is a heavy emergency blanket

so I won’t freeze. I wanted
to begin our new life
with a perfect kiss. The accident
tore my lips from my face.

I wanted to have your children
but my womb was full
with a river’s worth
of dark & cold water

& I wanted to grow old with you
but my young spirit still wanders
along the river’s edge—

Carrie Magness Radna is a cataloger at NYPL, a singer and a poet who loves travelling. Her poems have been published in Muddy River Poetry Review, Poetry Super Highway, Alien Buddha Press, Cajun Mutt Press, Jerry Jazz Musician and First Literary Review-East, et al. Her latest book, In the blue hour (Nirala Publications) was published in February 2021. Born in Norman, Oklahoma, she now lives in New York City. https://carriemagnessradna.com