Mary Skillings

CONTACT:
Email: maryrebeccaskillings@gmail.com

BIO:
After spending two decades in the Pacific Northwest, Mary recently returned to her roots in the wild southeast corner of Wisconsin, where she was born, lived the first half of her life, and began writing.  She is the current Racine Co-Poet Laureate, and her community project is focused on helping people feel and share their grief through poetry. She invites you to participate in her project by submitting your poems via the Kenosha/Racine Poet Laureate website www.krpoets.com and on Instagram @poetryskittles 

Poetry

a bed

i don’t have a bed

where do you sleep?

i haven’t had a bed since i was like 8 or 9

it was the couch for awhile

then it got too small for my legs

there was the futon

and i was on the floor

and then the two chairs pushed together

the futon again

and now the air mattress

and it has a slow leak so i wake up sunk in the middle, deflated

i don’t think an air mattress is designed for everyday use

my mom was gonna buy me a bed

but then she died

and that’s cool

do you care if i live

at your house while you are gone

i need to sleep in an actual bed

i need a bed

the lamb was sure to go

Mary had a little lamb
No, in fact, Mary didn’t fuckin’ have a little lamb
Mary had a perfected ability
to hide her desires for a little lamb
behind humor and smiles and food and inquires and
caring for others that was
supposed to satisfy any desire to hold and
hug and nurture her own little lamb

the rhythmic thump of the dish
washer as my eyes fill
with tears I want
to reach for the book I write
to you, Mama… how
do I bring myself to
tell you how sad I am?
I can’t…
Mama, I just want you
to hold me always
makes me feel better…
thump… thump…