Aimee R. Cervenka

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I want to lie on bare concrete, spread
arms and fingers, and once more
inhale the mingled smells of your
menthol cigarettes and motor oil,
hold still until my limbs turn cold,
until I hear the clatter of billiard balls
across a felted table. And when I get up,
I will be eight years old, running for coffee.
Mugs balanced carefully, I’ll tiptoe
down the narrow stairs.

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Aimee R. Cervenka is a writer, climate activist, and professional baker. Her poetry has appeared in Poet Lore, Ascent, Slab, and others, and was selected as a runner up in Headway Quarterly’s Winter 2020 Writing Contest. She currently lives in Spokane, Washington, with her husband, dog, and two rabbits.