I buried my head in the blanket, leaving an opening
for my nostrils.
Nostrils – not much to look at – but what a soft word
to say. I said other soft words: stumble, shuffle, molecule. Humble.
I could’ve gone on and on, but I meant
to sleep. Then (involuntarily): Innocence.
Contrition.
And then I couldn’t sleep.
Sue Blaustein is the author and publisher of three collections, most recently and All the Secrets Around Me (2025). She retired from the Milwaukee Health Department in 2016. WEB
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