Memorial Square You know that church, that birch, that rusted grating. You recognize the park from years ago. It’s like the bench and pigeons have been waiting; tulips are selfless, putting on a show. As manhole steam eddies across the lawn, the sunlight crimsoning it says, “Night’s near.” The fury you were walking off moves on. This place, an old friend pleading, “Come; sit here.”
Aaron Poochigian earned a PhD in Classics from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in Poetry from Columbia University. His latest collection of poetry, American Divine, the winner of the Richard Wilbur Award, came out in 2021. He has published numerous books and translations with such presses as Penguin Classics and W.W. Norton. His work has appeared in such publications as Best American Poetry, The Paris Review and POETRY.
Amethyst Review 