it was dreamed
to take a living child out of a paltry grave
there was no child
under the rubble of the school
Mary came haunting
wind sucked out the water of the ocean
disease came haunting
attached itself
disease came dwelling
now it eats my bread
we eat together
expelled from rock and soil
we flourish
side by side we flourish—
From Psalms by Julia Fiedorczuk. Reprinted by permission of the University of Wisconsin Press. © 2023 by the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved.