Flood Bloom

My friend Caroline Cabrera’s first book of poems is out with H_NGM_N.

Here’s a poem of hers that makes me wish Maurice Sendak wasn’t dead so he could illustrate it:

BIG ADVENTURE I | Caroline Cabrera

There were so many giants and tigers

and scary and exciting things before

that I am pretty tired now.

I almost don’t have the heart to tell you

my overalls fell off somewhere back there

and I’ve been running through the swamp

in my underclothes. Nothing turned out

as I had planned it in my Big Adventure Notebook

even though I dragged around a basket of provisions

in a little red wagon. Even though I hired

a really attentive watch dog our hiding place was pillaged

and stripped for spare parts and sold at a chop shop.

Someone stomped out all my luminarias—

I’m not a fool. I know they weren’t essential,

but I like pretty things on fire; I like cat-o-nine tails.

Unexpectedly, a spontaneous band

moved in on our picnic table

halfway through the egg salad sandwiches.

We had to share and now I’m half naked

without dinner plans. And yes, by ‘my overalls’

I meant ‘your overalls’ and I am sorry

and I am sticky. And you are more talented at espionage,

which, I’m not ashamed to say, makes me jealous,

and frankly, surprised. From now on

I will watch you closer, little bear, little beast.

Another VICTORY for a great press.