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Because the world was full of holes,
she made a man of cardboard and children's salt clay,
pressed in two green pennies for his eyes
and gave him half her life.
He woke as if from a dream of drowning,
gasping for the sweet air of the Earth.

The way of things came, so he went away
to trace sidewalks and cluttered beaches.
When he saw that the world was full of holes,
he made a woman of wrapping paper,
brown-bottle glass and masking tape
and gave her half his life.

She stood, turned away from him
and said: "The world is full of holes
that sing when the air rushes through."
Walking down to the ragged water,
she made a school of tinfoil fish
and gave them half her life.




Originally from Mississippi, Stella Nickerson studied engineering at Brigham Young University. She is now pursuing an advanced engineering degree at Arizona State University. Her poetry has previously appeared in Cicada and in Strong Verse.
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