Allan Peterson

EVAPORATION

She was now so little herself they could not visit their old friend so deep in her illness They were sorry but she shrank gradually till her circle was the house then two rooms, then just within her reach like a spill drying, a drought lowering the water table, finally just the bed and thinning arms pulling at the covers like a rope, a long way out Two weeks ago she passed between her last two sisters to pool lightly in the sheets, smoke and dry goods brought to this: a few fluids, strings, a tiny paper howl. Allan Peterson's poetry manuscript, "Anonymous Or," won the 2001 Defined Providence Press competition and is forthcoming, along with poems in Fine Madness and Notre Dame Review. Recent print appearances: Marlboro Review; Rhino 2001; Pleiades; Bellingham Review; Iron Horse Review; Amherst Review; Southern Poetry Review. Recent Online: forpoetry.com; 2Riverview; Drexel Online Journal. Awards: Florida Arts Council Fellowship in Poetry; NEA Fellowship in Poetry.

Poetrybay seeks fine poetry, reviews, commentary and essays without restriction in form or content, and reserves first electronic copyright to all work published. All rights to published work revert to the author following publication. All Email submissions should be in body of email text.