the dead—
Are the dead lined up
against stark dry wall
yellowed and crumbling
in the half lit /
half shadow
Given their moment.
To record grievances
obsessions, omissions.
To push back
take a comb to their hair
preserve dignity.
Pretend still part of
the still living.
Susan Tepper is the author of eight published books of fiction and poetry. Her most recent book just out in June is a road novel titled “What Drives Men.” It was shortlisted at American Book Fest Best Book Awards. Other honors and awards include eighteen Pushcart Nominations, a Pulitzer Prize Nomination for the novel “What May Have Been” (Cervena Barva Press, and currently being adapted for the stage), NPR’s Selected Shorts Series, Second Place Winner in Story/South Million Writers Award, Best Story of 17 Years of Vestal Review, Shortlisted 7th in the Zoetrope Novel Contest (2003), Best of the Net and more. Tepper is a native New Yorker.
An excellent work ...
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