You drifted back in with the spring
caressing everything so blissful, hazy,
I can barely blink my dreams out of my eyes.
Serendipities this sweet
they’ve stained my fingertips a sticky, cherry red.
I dust off the retro-wheeled projector
inside my mind’s eye,
and watch us years ago on grainy film.
How little did they know.
A growing sense of this all crept in,
the premonition nestled up under my ribcage,
I sipped it from my tea leaves.
Our demise was spelled out right in my hand of cards.
I swear I tried to play nice with it.
And doesn’t that speak to human’s hubris,
Or the drunkening nature of passion,
Convincing myself I could outsmart something long decided?
And isn’t it beautiful that you were so worth it,
I chose to love you anyway?
Poetry & Photography by Jude Ross
Jude Ross (they/them/theirs) is a twenty-two year old poet based out of Columbus, Ohio. They have previously a published short essay as well as a poem, “To Speak in Tongues,” in The Feminist Agenda, an online publication affiliated with the Feminist Graduate Student Association at Florida Atlantic University. They currently attend the Ohio State University as a Social Work major, and Creative Writing minor.
Backwards Trajectory 