By Maggie Petrella
everything i know about my father
is the way he quietly
packs half the apartment
by my side, steady presence
bringing boxes, offering
each tchotchke with care, patiently
waiting for trembling nods, swaddling
my whole life in gentle newspaper
Maggie Petrella (she/her) is a Buffalonian poet based in Baltimore, MD. Her work has appeared in Back Patio Press, Paddler Press, Variety Pack, and others. She is online at maggiepetrella.com or on Twitter.