Poetry by Lorraine Jeffery
When we’re on the end of the bell curve,
we’re slower to take the wreath off the door.
Reluctant to welcome the uncharted year,
without solving and mourning the past one.
We’re slower to take the wreath off the door,
remove the twinkling lights, number the
ornaments and put away the tree.
Reluctant to welcome the new uncharted year.
We’re hoping for a high standard deviation,
and we don’t want to move on
without solving and mourning the last one.
Knowing statistically, that more years
have been subtracted than will be added.
Lorraine Jeffery has won numerous prizes and published many poems in journals including Westward Quarterly, Clockhouse, Orchard Press, Halcyone and Tahoma. Her first book is titled When the Universe Brings Us Back (2022). Her two chapbooks titled Tethers and Saltwater Soul were published in 2023 and 2024 by Kelsay Books.
