Everything Happens for a Reason

Poetry by Caitlin Reed

Everything happens for a reason,
my mother says over and over.
God has a sense of humor.
You catch more flies with honey
than vinegar. But I know
flies love vinegar, and they will drown
for a taste. And I know
god has never laughed
with me. And I know
finding silver linings is not the same
as finding order in chaos.
These are not lies, they are just
answers I do not need. I lie
under quilts my mother made
just for me. I whisper to my lover
under quilts my mother made
when I was still fresh. I dream
under quilts my mother made
to keep me warm
forever. My mother says,
You’ll always be my girl.
And I know.

Caitlin Reed is an independent editor, a graduate of the University of Virginia, and a native of Virginia Beach. She currently writes and resides in the Pacific Northwest.