Heavy as It Is
by Alexandra McIntosh
I can’t hear it anymore— the creek behind
the elementary school parking lot—the veins
run so hot through my ears. Can’t hear my
dad’s voice or the lures rattling in his tackle box.
In grade school, the lot was painted with
the alphabet: Violet A, turquoise L, yellow X.
The I was missing. We looked for it all
school year, down on our bellies, hands against
the blacktop. Later, learned a deer died there,
hit by a car speeding around the building;
it washed away with animal blood and spit.
About the Author
Alexandra McIntosh lives and writes in Kentucky, her favorite place in the world. She received her B.A. from Asbury University, her M.A. in English from Northern Kentucky University, and her MFA in Poetry from Miami University. Her poetry and creative nonfiction can be found in publications including The Raw Art Review, Broad River Review, Allegory Ridge, River River Journal, and Penultimate Peanut Magazine. You can find photos of her poodle named Grizzly Bear on Instagram @the_real_alexmac