Contributor: Lynne M Hinkey

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My things. My beautiful things.
Gathered from far and wide
From adventures lived.
Photos and letters, jewelry and books
From family, friends, and lovers.

My windows. My beautiful windows.
Covered in plywood.
From the lumberyard.
Water jugs, sandbags, and flashlights
Hold the darkness at bay.

The screams. The terrible screams.
Of failing wood screws
Boards fly from windows and roof.
Battens be damned. The incessant
Wind howls an urgent demand.

Choose. Choose. Choose.

My cat. My beautiful Jaguar.
My dog. And my pillow.
Plunge into the bathroom.
Huddle, with a waiting mattress,
To bolster the door against the threat.

Choose. Choose. Choose.

The clarity. My perfect clarity.
When wind lashes into my home.
One-hundred-and-fifty miles per hour
Of understanding.
My cat, my dog, my pillow.


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Lynne Hinkey uses experiences from her years living in the Caribbean to infuse her novels with a bit of tropical magic, from the siren call of the islands, to the terror and hysteria caused by the mysterious chupacabra.