She stays around the edge
of the room
like a skittish calico
that moves cautiously
before slipping into shadow.
She knows more
than strictly necessary
about esoteric trivia—
about more than she should.
She collects big words:
succulent
               contentious
                              efficacy…
and hordes them like gems.
She can’t help but
discuss serial commas,
Star Trek versus Star Wars,
or the habitat of songbirds
with equal parts interest
and awkwardness.
She leaks wonder—then quickly
stuffs it back in her mouth.

 

Laura Winkelspecht is a poet and writer from Wisconsin who writes with the hope of finding some lightning among the lightning bugs. She has been published in One Sentence Poems, Clementine Poetry Journal, Millwork, and others. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee.

Twitter: @lwinkelspecht
Instagram: @laurawinkdp