Poems by kerry rawlinson

pre/mo/cognition
there’s something happening that I can’t quite
catch. something hiding, birthing,
like the egg of a maggot, itching
to hatch, quite slight—
barely there—

optimism is a mutated mule

About the Author – Ken Cathers

kerry rawlinson is a mental nomad & bloody-minded optimist who wandered west from a Zambian gestation & landed in Canada. Recipient of 2024’s New Millennium Writings & Canterbury Poetry Prizes; 2023’s Princemere Prize and long/shortlisted for others, e.g. HUNGRY HILL Poetry for Politics; Bridport, Foster; Palette, her recent poetry acceptances include: SHINE Poetry Series; League of Canadian Poets; The Ex-Puritan; Qwerty; PrimeNumber; Pinhole; low hanging fruit; filling Station; IceFloe; Grain. kerry wanders barefoot through dislocation & belonging, enthralled with the gore, music, brutality & beauty of the world—and still drinks too much (tea). kerryrawlinson.com @kerryrawli
Keep Reading…
- Propagation
I wake to her fingers on my cheek, heavy and sweet-smelling. My body protests with a sharp yawn as I take her in through the sleep haze. Leg cramp? Nightmare? Do I need to change the sheets? - Prologue: Milagros’ Story
Milagros had never climbed a tree in her life, her father wouldn’t allow it. Just as he had forbidden her from going with her cousin to the concert tonight. She swallowed the lump in her throat and kicked off her sandals to make the climb easier. - Cold Comfort
Mom died on Tuesday. On Friday she returned. I slept until eleven that day (it had been increasingly hard to get out of bed). When I finally shuffled into the kitchen, I saw her.
Meanwhile, at Dreamers…
Last chance! Stories of Place, Home, and the Meaning of Dreaming

The deadline for the Dreamers Writing Contest on place and home is January 31. Submit a heartfelt story, poem, or essay reflecting on belonging, memory, displacement, or the meaning of home. Open internationally. $250 CAD prize and publication.
Editor’s Note: Issues 21 and 22

We’re pleased to announce the simultaneous release of Dreamers Magazine Issues 21 and 22.These two issues were shaped during very different moments…