December 2015
I live, write, and teach in Appleton, Wisconsin—about 35 miles south of the "frozen tundra." I am fascinated by good paper, poetry and the way ink moves forward on the blank page and words trail behind like a snake shedding its skin. Winner of the 2003 Main Street Rag Chapbook contest, I am the author of the collection A Theory of Lipstick (Main Street Rag: 2013) and seven chapbooks of poetry. Widely published (poetry, reviews and interviews), I was awarded a Pushcart Prize in 2011. www.karlahuston.com
My Imaginary Husband
My husband shakes and high-fives
like he’s one of the boys. He sits
when asked and waits for me to decide
which shoes to wear before our walk.
Last week, he let me lean into him
while I squatted and peed in the woods.
He’s a strong guy, too, one who knows
how to listen, pauses while I hug him,
lay my cheek on his curly chest. He lets me
whisper in his ears, doesn’t tell me
I’m getting a little wide through the beam
or fluffy around the neck and chin.
He doesn’t mind what I make for dinner
as long as I share. He likes chips and salsa
as much as bacon or pizza. Best of all,
he lets me rage and rant about indignities
until I’m spent. His ears catch
every nuance in my voice. Then he walks
over to me, plops down and stays
till I invite him to my bed.
-originally published in Wisconsin People and Ideas, winter 2011
My husband shakes and high-fives
like he’s one of the boys. He sits
when asked and waits for me to decide
which shoes to wear before our walk.
Last week, he let me lean into him
while I squatted and peed in the woods.
He’s a strong guy, too, one who knows
how to listen, pauses while I hug him,
lay my cheek on his curly chest. He lets me
whisper in his ears, doesn’t tell me
I’m getting a little wide through the beam
or fluffy around the neck and chin.
He doesn’t mind what I make for dinner
as long as I share. He likes chips and salsa
as much as bacon or pizza. Best of all,
he lets me rage and rant about indignities
until I’m spent. His ears catch
every nuance in my voice. Then he walks
over to me, plops down and stays
till I invite him to my bed.
-originally published in Wisconsin People and Ideas, winter 2011
©2015 Karla Huston