1622 Truth Spell

by chrissy stegman

It was before we knew

the crayfish moved

backward and away

from our bucket. Each creature

trying to hide from the violence of

being caught. It was after we tried (the first time)

pickled herring on New Year’s Eve. It was the belt loop that notched our innocence.

It was before we saw fear in our mother’s eyes

but never during that Eddie Rabbitt song playing on the radio