Project Fifty-Five / Kanawha County

Perturbation is…

Michael Ramsburg
Aug 23, 2017 · 1 min read

darkness / is a racing heart / is worry
buried & unearthed again / is running
being lost / or / being found / where
you’re not supposed to be / is facing
your father / his shocked face / his
confused eyes / how could you / tell
him that he didn’t fail you / is your
mother’s / raised brows / her unsure
look / it’s ok / except / you know that
it’s not / not for them / but you must
tell them / who you are / even if it
is not / what they expected / is not /
what they want to hear / it’s who you
are so you say / those two hard words
while you pray / mom and dad // i’m gay


This poem is part of Project Fifty-Five, a personal poetic journey through West Virginia’s fifty-five counties. More from this series: Here.

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Michael Ramsburg

Written by

8th generation Appalachian. Proud West-by-G-d Virginian. Word writer. Code creator. Faith. Food. Folk. Facts. More: http://www.ramsburgwrites.com

The Junction

The Junction is a digital crossroads devoted to stories, culture, and ideas. Our interests are legion.

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