The stars were dimly stitched together at night, fear needling a staccato breath. I stopped attending service, instead, watched nature strike like sixteenth notes, quarter beats of that awful year. The goldfinches hung upside down, eating seed and thistle. Monarchs perched on milkweed growing in the wild as the heat swelled, cicadas shaking like sleighbells. Fawns followed their mothers around like the born do. At the turn of the season, I braved the blessing of the animals on the lawn. We sprinkled holy water on bichons and shepherds, tawny cats, rabbits, even jade beetles crawling up jars. We held hands and sang hymns drifting into the thick air, the leaves of the heavy green trees clinging to each other, the last light of summer.
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Brooke Lehmann’s poems have been featured in Poet Lore, Tar River Poetry, Pedestal Magazine, and others. She was longlisted for the 2022 Palette Poetry Sappho Prize for Women Poets, and her chapbook manuscript, Pillar of Exquisite Sorrows, was named a finalist in Tusculum Review’s 2023 Chapbook Prize. Her poem, “Thanksgiving Psalm” was awarded first place in the 2024 Charles Edward Eaton contest for Pinesong. Her debut collection, Of Salt and Song, is forthcoming from Kelsay Books in 2025. Brooke holds a B.S. from Purdue University and is an Arts and Science Council Cultural Leadership Training program graduate. She serves as Poet-In-Residence for Charlotte Center for Mindfulness.
