tragedy – I Write Her

M.

Published on April 17, 2026April 11, 2026 by Susi Bocks8 Comments

HOW STUPID OF ME

Afraid
Anger building
Racing thoughts continue
Anxiety dark clouds brooding
Achieved

POST JOANN

New
Lover
Connection
Phone calls this week
Have things in common
Yes, she could be the one
The year? Nineteen Ninety Two
A brand new day, head over heels
I am told horrible, dreadful news
She has been hit by a car and has died

MY ALL

That smile, those eyes, are enchanting to me
You comfort me
Complete me
My love
Jess

STALKER

Why am I so special, that you chose me?
Two eyes on me, relentless
Give me peace, leave me be

FEAR

As I approach sixty, I ponder fate
That’s when God took YOU, from us
Will God take me, as well?

~~~

M. is a visual artist, wordsmith & musician. He has been active in the arts since 1988; his poetry has been included in multiple zines from the 90s, the first volume of The Short of It, and his own blog iMartist. His poetry was first featured in 2020.

If you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submission guidelines.

#TheShortofIt– Vol 1 The Sound of Brilliance, Vol 2 Reflections & Revelations,
and Vol 3 Natures Discovered, all on Amazon

Colleen S. Harris

Published on March 27, 2026February 22, 2026 by Susi Bocks4 Comments

***Chandler Cruttenden – Unsplash.com***

Cinquain for Soldiers

We lay
prostrate, gore-cauled,
crying for our mothers.
And so we end as we begin,
in blood.

A Tanka for Tragedy’s Aftermath

The sea drives itself
to shore making promises
it will take thousands
of years to keep, same as not
keeping them at all.

Migration

Birds
fly
due south
for winter warmth
I get as far as
Cabo before my heart thaws out.

Long Island Winter

Earth,
sky,
ocean
breezes
and toppling
waves making merry
in the chilled New York Atlantic

Camarillo, California

Fire,
smoke,
traffic,
evacuation.
So little fits in a suitcase.

~~~

Colleen S. Harris holds an MFA from Spanding University. Her most recent poetry collections include The Light Becomes Us (Main Street Rag, 2025) and Toothache in the Bone (boats against the current, 2025). Her poems appear in Berkeley Poetry Review, The Louisville Review, Salvation South, among others. Follow at https://colleensharris.com. This is Colleen’s first feature with The Short of It.

If you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submission guidelines.

#TheShortofIt– Vol 1 The Sound of Brilliance, Vol 2 Reflections & Revelations,
and Vol 3 Natures Discovered, all on Amazon

Muted

Published on October 6, 2024October 5, 2024 by Susi Bocks9 Comments

tossed on life’s trash heap
been silenced by tragedy
hard to rebuild strength

Sadly, the inspiration for this piece comes from the recent devastation of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, specifically regarding the horrific situation my dear friend, Gail Leadenham, had to endure. Thankfully, she is alive, but she did get injured. She lost her house and the wonderful Cerebus, her puppy, who I got to know when I visited this past August. You might remember the Wordles she and I wrote while I was there—Two Creatives Getting Creative.

While my poem speaks to the incredible sadness of the situation, I hope you can find it in your hearts to aid her during this challenging time, showering her with love from afar and helping her return to some normalcy with your support. Every bit will help! Thank you!

Imminent Danger

Published on June 25, 2022June 12, 2022 by Susi Bocks9 Comments

survival hits different
for every being on this earth
adults and children
kept and free animals
even our beloved planet
facing physical hardships
whether risking living
with little food
or minuscule comfort
or none at all
whether beat into submission
before they could find their voice
or any number of unbearable situations
through no other reason
than a perfect storm
coming together by chance
life’s variables colliding just because
those unlucky enough
to always be on the end of surviving
the punishments doled out
by indiscriminate and unfortunate circumstances
or by forceful, living monsters
created by an evil social consciousness
insinuating their vileness
into the vulnerable lives of the innocent