Tag Archives: Amy Middleton

Dead Ladybugs on my Window

At 4am my sweat-drenched sheets smell like you.

I’m jealous of the bugs because I can’t sleep

through a night. I’d grow an exoskeleton if I thought

it would help but I’m worried it’d just make me look fat.

Watered down coffee doesn’t wake me, it sits

heavy in my stomach wondering where you went-

together, we watch the sky turn white. A wall of

blackbirds come from across the street, all their wings

in sync, and they’re singing a song you once said reminded you

of me. One I could never remember the name of

but could always pick out if I heard it. Morning wanders

in quietly, careful not to glare in my eyes while I wash my mug.

Wet coffee grounds stain the sink- shades of brown

racing towards the drain- stuck in stasis, just out of reach.

Amy Middleton studies creative writing and graphic design at SUNY Purchase. She likes the color green, talking to bugs, and being called “Thursday.” Connect with her online at @thursday.poems.

Spilled Coffee

I spilled my coffee and burned a hole through the earth.

The monsters that live in Earth’s core emerged and thanked me

for my help, each one shaking my hand before wandering off.

Every day passed with more and more news stories:

“Three-Headed Dragon—The Newest NFL Player!”

No one ever asked me how the monsters escaped. They only

said, “Can you believe it?” One eight-foot lizard moved in

upstairs and threw parties every night.

It was only then that I wondered if I had made a mistake.

Amy Middleton, from Westchester, New York, is a third-year student at SUNY Purchase. She is double majoring in graphic design and creative writing, with a concentration in poetry. She is on the editorial board of Italics Mine, SUNY Purchase’s literary magazine.