1 of 5 in a series

Laura Gregory

When They Ask Why You Didn’t Stop Him

You’ll want to explain how the alarm sounds
like a dishwasher looping
in the next room, hushing
“not you, not you” and who
would run from that,

but why is a blade,
a slap, a whip
that cracks in your ears
and echoes until white noise wails
like sirens.

Laura Gregory likes to aim high.