It was winter. The birds were quiet,

and I was sitting by the river again.

Only the waters ran clean with soft

rambles of light. I was tired of waiting,

wanting something, anything, but was

searching for yet another inexistent leaf on

bare branches. Not far out, the deer began

casting their antlers onto frost. Shedding bones.

I picked one up and turned it around

in my palms, let the stiffness split me open.

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Saturn Browne (she/they) is a Queer Asian writer. She lives at the mouth of 2 rivers in New England. Her debut chapbook, BLOODPATHS, is forthcoming from Kith Books in May 2023. Find her on Twitter @saturnhas9rings!