Jennifer Mazur - Foliate Oak Literary Magazine
Okeechobee

by Jennifer Mazur


They found her under the spreading oak tree
That’s the family lore
White dress, hem black (heavy)  with lake dirt
Poison in one  fine china hand
freckled with a doomed constellation
the other hand palm side up among the leaves
and damp soil
 
One black fly
landing and taking off
landing and taking off
of her pale cheek
 
Too many mouths
Too many responsibilities
 
My grandmother found her
didn’t tell her sisters
the truth
Their mother was too delicate
to deal with
one husband
five daughters
and
Okeechobee
Jennifer Mazur is a teacher, writer, and procrastinator that lives in Ocala, Florida. She works at a local college while raising her kids and rescue cat. She enjoys poetry, memoir, and creative nonfiction. Her work has recently been featured at Here.