Flesh

By MarieAnn Raguso

Birds feast

on the flesh of worms,

the same worms

burrowing inside the brain

of the dead

buried in the dirt,

but not as deep

as the bones

of dinosaurs

that miners find

as they dig

for black gold, 

carelessly attempting 

to dismantle 

this Earth

making it impossible

for birds to feast

on the flesh of worms.

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New York-born MarieAnn C. Raguso (she/her) is a Purple Heart and a Combat Action Medal Recipient veteran of the Air Force’s Security Forces. She identifies as a disabled veteran, a Pisces, and an innate poet. She has three degrees: a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, a Bachelor’s in Sociology-Anthropology, and an Associate's Degree in the Social Sciences. In 2007, Raguso wrote the screenplay for the independent film, “Revival of Darkness,” under the pseudonym-surname Rosko. She was published in Hinnom Magazine Issue 004 for a short fiction story, “The Atlantow” in 2017. In 2021, Raguso was published in the May and June issues of the Dillydoun Review for the poems, “Drive Away” and “Lending Family Money.” In 2019, she read some of the poems originating from her MFA thesis at Manhattanville College. She is also a member of the Academy of American Poets, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the Air Force Security Forces Association. For more glimmers of Raguso, visit www.marieanncraguso.com.