August 2026
How to fall in love with a lake creature
by Elani Spencer
steal a scuba suit from your neighbors shed
under the judging eyes of starlight
tell yourself you will return it and never do
change in a poison berry bush off shore
and don’t let the security guard’s flashlight
catch you naked
let her lure you into the foggy depths
where she dawns a stolen skirt
from skinny dippers
and fresh flowers woven in her locs
that bounce like jellyfish tentacles
let her show you her shipwrecked home,
moss-covered and sagging
like overwatered plants
and tell her It’s beautiful
when she tries to steal a kiss
above the ever-moving current,
water droplets falling down her face
like a waterfall…kiss her back
and taste the bittersweet tang of Black magic
Muse Mosaics 