19 July 2007 | Vol. 7, No. 2
An Eighth Lesson in Magic
In the living room is the built-in weather
from the air conditioner. The walls are
swollen in certain places away from her
reach. In the absence of miracles, the pot
simmers a new husband in the oven.
Pawing at the goldfish, the cat is dragged
into the fishbowl. Too late, the goldfish
has gotten the cat's head. Tomorrow,
she will conjure a new cat. Always with
the wrong foot off the ground, she clutches
an alabaster charm to ward off intruders.
About the author:
More than 450 of Kristine Ong Muslim's poems and stories have appeared or are forthcoming in over 150 publications worldwide. Her poetry has appeared in Bellevue Literary Review, GlassFire Magazine, Elimae, Mad Swirl, Noneuclidean Café, The Pedestal Magazine, Thieves Jargon, Turnrow, and Void Magazine.
For further reading:
Browse the contents of 42opus Vol. 7, No. 2, where "An Eighth Lesson in Magic" ran on July 19, 2007. List other work with these same labels: poetry.