Short Tantrum on a Long Afternoon

by Leah Odze Epstein

Sometimes when snow can’t melt it turns to ice,
sing lullabies to baby then let him cry,
your heart chased like screaming villagers
down the mountain after the volcano erupts,
your gut insubstantial as ash,
surprising how fast you solidify.




Leah Odze Epstein writes poetry and fiction. She lives in Larchmont, New York, where she is raising three children and is currently at work on her first novel. She has reviewed books for BookPage and Publisher’s Weekly.