Carey Salerno Q&A on a poem she wishes she’d written
Carey Salerno on a poem she wishes she’d written, “Mare and Newborn Foal,” by Jean Valentine.
Carey Salerno
Carey Salerno
Carey Salerno is executive editor of Alice James Books. Her first book, Shelter, won the 2007 Kinereth Gensler Award and was published in 2009. Carey has an MFA from New England College. Her work has appeared in such journals as Rattle and Natural Bridge.
Lilac Thieves
Late April, lilacs choke froward air and after dark you ford the metal threshold into my cottage with a handful, thick stems clumping in your fist, hold them like an offering, Get over this. They smell so second chance. […]
Certification
She’s saying over and over I feel foolish, paces adumbral hallway cupping syringe. Eyes out of focus can’t concentrate. Watched, observed, so what if I’m not confirmed, but the veterinarian pressures her to give the leg another try, shave a bit of tabby fur, pump the forearm a little harder this time, careful with the […]
Unraveling
That we never parted ways, never untied the last breath. I couldn’t stop cowering below the wolf. Always looked back over my shoulder, saw the dark stalker there. Long ivory legs rose to darkness. In sleep she hung like hot breath over my neck, my racing artery, bloody nails printed the bedclothes, the stench of […]
White Wolf
There are dogs going mad after a few days in kennel rows. Rottweilers mostly, we give them three days tops until restless kennel legs jump them in circles, barge torsos at rusted pen doors. Their anemic lips snarl at offers to play outside and we say time up— fearing wet jaws. She’s the same and […]
Dressings
It isn't the way she pulls her hair out of the tie, or back, weaving fingers, twisting a braid, but that she stands before the conifer dale, contemplating her white shirt, whether its removal is really what she wants, counts sweat beads as they roll to the small of her back. Below, her brother, another […]
Carey Salerno Q&A on her greatest obstacle to becoming a poet
Carey Salerno talks about her greatest obstacle to becoming a poet.