Merridawn Duckler

Symbol of the Rose Window

on the first floor in our 1912 house, depending on the light
is sleepy eye, a fist, teeth, a screw, aperture,
protection. Sun slips through the oxidized gleam
and sweet rays tipped in green. I see it every day
I ignore it every day. If you stop on the landing and gawk
people will run over you. That’s where we live
and have always lived—in the concentric. It’s so beautiful
we mutter, carrying all we have up and down the stairs.

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Merridawn Duckler is a visual artist and author of Interstate (dancing girl press) IDIOM (Harbor Review) Misspent Youth (rinky dink press) and Arrangement (Southernmost Books.) Winner of the Beulah Rose poetry prize from Smartish Pace; the Elizabeth Sloane Tyler Memorial Award Woven Tale Press, judged by Ann Beattie; CNF prize Invisible City judged by Heather Cristle; and the Drama prize from Arts and Letters at Georgia College. Work in Best Small Fictions 2025.  Writing, projects, works www.merridawnduckler.com