Dear Pylvia Salth

I am drunk

& listening to 4:49 a.m.

in the shower again

on repeat, thinking that

 

if steam handles lips

the way hands

handle match tips, then you

 

handle me the way

“too” handles “close”

 

(& there may never be enough

hot water).

 

Now, think of all the things

we can count on

our fingers

 

like the certainty of

smoke:

 

when it fails to leave a

burning thing behind,

 

we choke.

 

 


Born and raised in northern New Jersey, Kayla Coolican is a freelance writer and poet based in Somerville, MA. A student at Lesley University and regular performer at The Cantab Lounge, she adores collaborative work, and spends her free time as the volunteer editor for a local indie lit-mag. In Cambridge, she is best-known for her steamy spoken-word piece, “Seducing Johnny Appleseed,” featuring in numerous Boston slams and solicited for radio performance in 2016.

Kayla also nurtures a quirky art portfolio and enjoys pairing her written work with Apidae-inspired illustrations. She looks forward to completing her first chapbook soon