'Unfettered' by Leah Mueller

I relinquished you more times

than I can count. Holding on

is too risky. A tight grasp

drains the container, leaving its contents

empty. My fingers poised for release,

both hands curled against your back,

I expect nothing. Anything more

is an offering. You have learned to give

for the first time in decades.

I must learn to receive.

All Rights. Leah Mueller.

Leah Mueller is the author of ten prose and poetry books. Her work appears in Rattle, Midway Journal, Citron Review, The Spectacle, Miracle Monocle, Outlook Springs, Atticus Review, Your Impossible Voice, etc. It has also been featured in trees, shop windows in Scotland, poetry subscription boxes, and literary dispensers throughout the world. Her flash piece, "Land of Eternal Thirst" will appear in the 2022 edition of Sonder Press' "Best Small Fictions" anthology. Visit her website at www.leahmueller.org.