HOW LONELINESS WAS INVENTED

                    by Grace Q. Song

I find myself
Stealing the light
From the bellies
Of fireflies

This night is all
That is left

I hack my name
Into the back
Of a willow tree

I am so hungry
So ashamed

The darkness gnaws
My knuckles white












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Grace Q. Song is a Chinese-American writer from New York. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Half-Mystic, DIALOGIST, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, Frontier Poetry, and [PANK], among others. A Best of Net nominee, she has been recognized by Interlochen Center for the Arts, Pennsylvania State University, and Scholastic Arts & Writing Awards. She enjoys listening to ABBA and Yoke Lore.