POETRY BY JORDAN SHIVELEY

2.
i have never learned
to breathe out
it is always
great gasping mouthfuls
that i try and swallow
until the ache of my words
settles in to stay


57.
time is not
a monolith
it’s a plastic bag
a forgotten goldfish
on a summer day
in the back seat
of your stepfather’s car

Jordan Shiveley is the author of the Dread Singles (@hottestsingles) twitter account. Their work has also been seen in a variety of short fiction collections such as The Story Engine Anthology, HWA Poetry Showcase and the upcoming Unfettered Hexes from Neon Hemlock as well as tabletop roleplaying games (Spire, Emberwind) they cohost and write for the Caring Into the Void podcast. Their first full-length narrative work (HOT SINGLES IN YOUR AREA ) will be apparating from Unbound Books at some point in the nearish future. They live and work in Minneapolis, Minnesota with a cat and partner both of whom often merge in ways unimaginable to the human mind. www.jordanshiveley.com