Escape by Gloria Mindock

Trying to escape, but I am surrounded by flatland.
No place to go. 
If I stand behind the tree, you will find me,
behind the barn, you will find me,
behind the house, you will find me.

You would not expect me to hide
down by the Illinois River or in the
caves of Starved Rock. I will be there until
my body decays and I feed some other life form.

I will become a beautiful plant.
When you walk past me, I will
give you a rash.

 Gloria Mindock is the founding editor of Červená Barva Press and one of the USA editors for Levure Litt e raire (France). She is the author of five books of poetry and her 6 th book called, “Ash” is forthcoming this fall by Glass Lyre Press. She has been translated and published into 8 languages. Gloria has been awarded the Ibbetson Street Press Lifetime Achievement Award, was the recipient of the Allen Ginsberg Award for Community Service by the Newton Writing and Publishing Center, and was awarded the 5 th and 40 th Moon Prize from Writing in a Woman’s Voice. She was the Poet Laureate in Somerville, MA in 2017 & 2018.