Kristina Heflin
there was no funeral dirge
no flowers scenting
rain soaked air
nobody dressed in black
or wiped tears with
delicate embroidered kerchiefs
i was rolled in a ditch
left bloated in the sun
skin stretched tented taut
over stinking gases weeds
growing in elbow crooks knee bends
flies and their offspring found
orifices wet and sunken
popping the zepplin body
with a sigh
releasing boiled over
pressure so crinkled
thin canvas relaxed
onto silver solid bones
marrow seeped over uncoiled tendons
released the final juice of life as
bones crumbled around it
glass blown by dust and wind
black of sunken smile stared
at the unblinking eye of the sun
revelled in its final rest
***
Kristina Heflin is an Arizona State University graduate student, based in Northern Alabama. She has served on the editorial board of the literary journal Flumes and was Activities Coordinator for the Yuba College Literary Arts Club. She has been published in the literary journals Flumes, Canyon Voices, Fearsome Critters, and Diverse Minds, the websites 2Elizabeths, the write launch, and Underwood as well as the anthology The Beckoning. Future publications include Broad River Review, Duck Lake Journal, and Passaic/Voluspa. When she’s not writing, she enjoys horseback riding and Marvel comics.