Their smiles
are bleached
from the photo
baked brown.
They escaped
from the homelands
that wanted
them gone,
erased, dead,
forgotten.
A soundless escape,
taking only
the disruption
that clung
to their skin.
Their absence
displaced the air,
replaced it with
ocean wind.

Selected byMaria Mazzenga
Image credit:Torsten Dieterichs
Nolcha Fox

Nolcha’s poems have been curated in print and online journals. Her poetry books are available on Amazon and Dancing Girl Press. Nominee for 2023 Best of The Net. Editor for Open Arts Forum, Chewers & Masticadores, Garden of Neuro. Accidental interviewer. Fake news faker.

Website: https://bit.ly/3bT9tYu

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoxNolcha

Medium: @nolchafox_14571