Amy Plettner
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I want to bring him down
to the woods where morels burst in spring,
earth smells of hemlock, and nettle.
I want to bring him out
of his bedroom’s darkening shades,
face him toward morning meadow.
I want to bring him to life
in the dust, beneath a stone—
a click beetle, a gold-eyed toad.
I want to bring him pumice,
wash his hands of nicotine and fuel,
rub his knuckles with almond oil,
bring his clean palm to my cheek.
I want to bring him a new flannel shirt,
bed sheets smelling of lavender wind.
I want to take him to the stream
where I’ll go belly down in mud,
invite the boy in him to follow,
make cups out of our bodies,
hands full of water, and sun.
Amy Plettner‘s poetry has appeared in the anthologies Nebraska Presence and Times of Sorrow, Times of Grace. Other publications include Plains Song Review, Omaha World-Herald’s “Everyday Poetry” series, Nebraska Life, and Celebrate: A Collection of Women’s Writing. Her first collection of poetry, Undoing Orion’s Belt, was published by WSC Press in 2011. She lives south of Denton with her family, and enjoys bicycling, taking baths, and life in Nebraska.
“What can I say about this amazing poet and person? I spent a few years in poetry workshops with Amy while we were both getting our MFA degrees. I was intimidated by her poems because they exuded something my poetry hadn’t (and still hasn’t, most likely) achieved: desperate intimacy. I still can’t believe how poets can write such sensual poetry. Maybe, for Amy, it’s where she lives. She resides on a nature preserve in Nebraska and walks amongst the grasses and catalpa (she also taught me what “catalpa” is). And she is amazed by tree frogs in the city. I guess her poetry’s sensuality comes from those things, and more. She is a gifted poet and a grand friend.” — Timothy Black
Next Issue features Dale Baker.