Jessica L. Walsh is the author of the poetry collections How to Break My Neck and The List of Last Tries (forthcoming 2019) as well as two chapbooks. Her work has appeared in RHINO, Tinderbox, Stirring, Sundog, and more. She is a community college professor in suburban Chicago and the blog manager for Agape Editions.




Previously in Glass: A Journal of Poetry: I’m Pretty Much Done Here I’m Pretty Much Done Here

Poets Resist
Edited by Samantha Duncan
March 21, 2019

Jessica L. Walsh

He Says I’ve Made Excuses

I made payments on four kinds of loans I made a vow to worse & sickness I made a fine CV I made charming conversation with men on hiring committees I made a secret bank account for vacations or divorce I made myself wait I made myself a shapeshifter I made a girl then made a way for her I made room at my desk for crayons and paints I made pillows out of old curtains I made a perfect lemon cake brushed sugar glaze on it every 5 minutes until it glittered I made a woman laugh in the last days of her life I made it farther than my grandmother though likely not as long I made promises I made it to the pharmacy today before it closed I made much of little but not enough poetry


Poets Resist is published by Glass Poetry Press.
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