Magdalene by Marie Howe

Magdalene

You know it was funny because he seemed so well the night before

I stayed over to meet a student before class

—sitting at the picnic table...already so hot so early.

I must have been looking for a pen or something

when I thought of the car keys and, rummaging through my bag,

couldn’t find them and was up and walking across the grass when

I heard myself say, I feel as if I’m going to lose something today,

—and then I knew, and ran the rest of the way.