Aidan Castle

boarding pass

He enters our lives piecemeal. Carting one possession at a time across the threshold. Butterflies alighting on his shoulders. Hands. Well-worn Stetson. Tells me his name without speaking. Opens my chest without a knife. 

last buzzard... 
the crush
of instantaneous light

Old breath flows out of me. I start singing. For the first time. A few months shy of my fortieth birthday. To calm our baby. Toddler. Dog. To choose joy over hardness. Teeth. He goes in. Out of the house. As though he has lived here for years.

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About the Author

Aidan Castle is a queer trans writer and artist whose work has appeared in various journals and his books driftwood atlas and the gossamer. His special interests include one-liners, surrealism, and haibun. When not writing, Aidan enjoys hiking, camping, drinking coffee, and staring out into the fog. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his family.

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