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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

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