Six of Cups (Reversed)

nostalgia
by Jessie Lynn McMains

is no gentle thing. nostalgia
hauls you out of bed in the middle
of the night, throws you down
the stairs. leaves you ricocheting
through the dark living room, bruising
your shins on furniture that is
no longer there.

Jessie Lynn McMains (they/them) is a multi-genre writer. Their writing has appeared or is forthcoming in many publications, including Okay Donkey, Petrichor, Tiny Essays, Moonchild Magazine, and Barnhouse. They are the author of several chapbooks. Their book-length poem, The Loneliest Show On Earth, was published by Bottlecap Press in February 2020. They were the recipient of the 2019 Hal Prize for poetry, and were the 2015-2017 Poet Laureate of Racine, WI. They are editor/publisher of Bone & Ink Press.