Featured Writer: Annie Banks

 

Miss Nebraska

 

Hilda Frey was captain

of the cheerleading squad

at Franklin County High School.

She lost her virginity

the night of Senior Prom

to Joe McWilliams,

who drove a red camero.

 

Back in ‘76

she was Miss Nebraska.

She sang the National Anthem

and twirled the baton

in a blue bikini

up at the state fair.

 

When folks come by

Hilda triumphantly

retells of the time

she traveled to New York

to represent the

Distinguished Women’s Council.

 

What she doesn’t say

is that her husband

ran off with his secretary

when the boys were

four and six

 

with no good bye

except for a post-it note

left on the kitchen table.

 

And all she knows now

of her eldest son

is that he’s out west

somewhere

with his third wife

and owns an auto shop

where they live upstairs.

 

And she hasn’t heard

from the younger one

since two Junes ago

 

when he sent her a postcard

from the Himalayas

where he went to find himself.

 

 

She pretends

that Joey

is in the navy now

and his big brother Ted

owns a business overseas

 

and that’s why they don’t visit much

even on the holidays.

 

Annie Banks

 

 

 

Blazing

 

Chased you to the Prime Meridian

where you were lounging in a beach chair

with a straw hat and a pack of Salem's.

All I wanted was to remind you

to think of me when you read your horoscope

 

Annie Banks

 

 

Annie Banks is currently a freshman at Mount St. Mary's College.  She plans to pursue a degree in English and become a professor.  In addition to her studies, reading the classics and writing for the college newspaper occupies most of her time. On campus, she is in the process of organizing a poetry society for aficionados of verse. Several of her other interests include painting and theatrical arts.
Email: mailto:ACGiampietro@email.msmary.edu

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