clouds by Lisa Molina

orange yellow clouds over

the west Texas prairie are 

antlers of sacrificial bucks

resting in peace while 

flames tickle the sky and

veins pulse through the body

while tongues lick the air and 

tree branches reach for the 

rain and sun and fingers 

of searing pain point and

reach  reach  reach 

for eternal paradise

as

life 

explodes 

crashing

upward

into

space.

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Lisa Molina is a writer/educator in Austin, Texas, where she earned a BFA from The University of Texas. She has taught high school English and Theater Arts, and later served as Associate Publisher of Austin Family Magazine. Molina now works with high school students with special needs. Her writing can be found in journals including Trouvaille Review, Beyond Words, Neologism Poetry, Ancient Paths Literary Magazine, Amethyst Review, The Ekphrastic Review, and Fahmidan Journal.