Her Risk

Light has its way with dark
stalks furrow earth,
the risk of green

she leaf dreams
hand cups pupae
their release, occasions

of hidden trees
worm-inch leafy terraces
day’s intermission of cicada’s

whir and landing on
ravine of myrtle, her head
with pines’ ten thousand

movements, survival
reflex as autumn advances
the body slows

dark has its way with light
she leaf dreams
her risk of renewal

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TISHA NEMETH-LOOMIS is the author of Terrain of My Affection, which was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her poetry can be found in Adanna Literary Journal, Fringe Magazine, Columbia Poetry Review, Pacific Review and various publications online and in print. Tisha’s non-fiction appears nationally in More Magazine, and her literary critiques are published by Indiana University Northwest’s journal Plath Profiles. Tisha earned her MFA from Columbia College Chicago, where she served as adjunct faculty and assistant poetry editor. She teaches literature at Morton College and lives in Chicago. Her website is tishanemethloomis.com. Read her contributor spotlight.