Rich Youmans

In My Next Life

I will know how to whistle. I wlll be able to true a 2 x 4, hammer a nail straight with three swings. When I tell a joke, I won’t step on the punchline. In my next life, I will hit a grand slam, throw a touchdown, score a goal with three seconds left. I will solve the value of x in every equation. I will unravel the mysteries of our DNA, discover a star burning light years away, cure the common cold. Or, if I am really lucky, I will meet you again. I will recognize your smile, your laugh, the familiarity of your cheek touching mine. We will stare at the sky and take long walks. I will listen more, know less.

fuzzy dandelion    holding my breath a little longer

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About the Author

Rich Youmans lives on Cape Cod with his wife, Alice. His books include All the Windows Lit (Snapshot Press, 2017) and Head-On (Red Bird Chapbooks, 2018). He is also the co-author, with Roberta Beary and Lew Watts, of Haibun: A Writer’s Guide (Ad Hoc Fiction, 2023).