Things I’ve Been Gifted by the Men Who Have Loved Me
By: Jodie Baeyens
A single white rose with petal tips of gold
A box of Cinnamon Life Cereal
A worn copy of Romeo and Juliet carried by a soldier who thought he would die without ever being in
love
A book of Gargoyles
Two perfect boys
Three tiaras and a Lapis Crystal Ball
A ring of Welsh Gold and diamonds given by a mother to her son to save for the love of his life
And two tiny handfuls of shells for mommy to carry home
Jodie Baeyens is a single-mother, poet and teaches to support her writing habit. When she isn’t trying to find the pen she was just holding, she can be found in the forest dancing beneath the full moon. Originally hailing from New York, she now considers herself a citizen of the world because she doesn’t want to admit that she lives in a red state. Her poetry has recently been featured in Door is a Jar and in Pere-grine’s Fall Journal. Her forthcoming Chapbook, Conversations We Never Had, was the Winner of the 2022 Vibrant Poet Award. Follow her writing at WWW.Mylifeincoffeespoons.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Mylifeincoffeespoons.