Venice by Heidi Slettedahl

I rarely talk about my babies,
Eight in all,
The loss too large for casual conversation.

Eight that I am sure of.
Who wants to know of clinics and injections, and odds you’d never bet on
Until you do.

The number might be nine, if I include
The one who left me in Venice
With blood and chills.

At least I think he did, if he was there at all.
So hard to know for sure.

My friends love Venice,
Return to it year after year.

I prefer Verona.
A smaller city, prettier, less crowded.

Fewer memories of loss.



Heidi Slettedahl is an academic and a US-UK dual national who goes by a slightly different name professionally. She is hoping to live up to her potential now that she is over 50. She has been published in a variety of online literary journals (including Red Eft Review).