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Lisa Zerkle lives in North Carolina with her husband and three school-age children. She is co-editor of Kakalak 2007: Anthology of Carolina Poets. Her work has appeared in Crucible, Main Street Rag, moonShine review, Pinesong, and Thrift Poetic Arts.

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Poetry Archives

In bad dreams
my daughter fears
I've left her alone
in an airport
or on a city street

She cries for me
sleepy tears on my shoulder
face buried in my hair
arms tight around my neck
Don't ever leave me, Mama

I dry her eyes
lift her arms
from my throat ready
to return to my own dreams
I would never leave you

How long
before her nightmare
of being left
becomes a daydream
of leaving

How long
before
I wish
I had
lingered

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