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Robin Stratton has been a writing coach in the Boston area for over 25 years. She is the author of four novels, including one which was a National Indie Excellence Book Award finalist, two collections of poetry and short fiction, and a writing guide. A four-time Pushcart Prize nominee, she’s been published in Word Riot, 63 Channels, Antithesis Common, Poor Richard’s Almanac(k), Blink-Ink, Pig in a Poke, Chick Flicks, Up the Staircase, Shoots and Vines, and many others. She is Acquisitions Editor for Big Table Publishing Company, Senior Editor of Boston Literary Magazine, and Director of the Newton Writing and Publishing Center.

Split or Stick

Robin Stratton

After the split

it’s time to start a new life

After nine years

it’s back to eating supper alone

But like a new mother-to-be

cautious for the first trimester

I don’t tell anyone right away

afraid the split won’t “stick”

and I’ll have to explain why you’re back

A Sign

I was sitting in a coffee shop

with a friend

telling her about a woman I know

who for years has been visited

by spirits

both benevolent and malicious

One time she was driving

in a rain storm and

her windshield wipers just

stopped

She prayed for a miracle

and they started again

Another time she came home

and her house was a mess

nothing was where it belonged

and the children denied any

responsibility for the disorder

One night she asked the spirits

for a sign to let her know

that everything was going

to be okay

And in the morning she went

to the kitchen and there

on the table was a piece

of paper

and written on the paper

was the symbol for infinity

When I told my friend this story

I drew the symbol for

infinity

on a napkin and when

we got up to go

I left the napkin on the table

so it could be a sign

for someone else

— Robin Stratton

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To have your work considered for the Lyrical send it to:
Doug Holder, 25 School St.; Somerville, MA 02143
dougholder@post.harvard.edu