Carla Schwartz
Umbilical
I dreamt my son
was safe downstairs
outside my sleep
his friend appeared
the cat woke too
& slinked behind
the boy’s bare feet
with muted whines
the loud knocking
shattered my wake
but seconds passed
before I could make
out what he meant
this best sentinel
by He’s not breathing
the needle the Fentanyl
How He Leaves
His cat slinks the corners of his room,
confused. His slender fingers cradle
the ghost of a needle.
In even intervals,
his mother pounds his chest
against
despair
between
shouts
between
wails
About the Author
Carla Schwartz’s poems have been widely published and anthologized, including in The Practicing Poet, and in her collections, Intimacy with the Wind, and Mother, One More Thing. Her CB99videos youtube channel has 2,000,000+ views. Learn more at her website or blog, or find her on Twitter or Instagram @cb99videos.
