A poem by Valentina Cano

He closed his hand around her arm
and her skin crystallized.
It dried from the outside in,
cracking, flaking into bark,
veins hardening with sap,
heels digging into the concrete.

Valentina Cano is a student of classical singing who spends whatever free time she has either reading or writing. Her works have appeared in numerous publications, and her poetry has been nominated for the “Pushcart Prize” (Pushcart Press) and “Best of the Web”. Her debut novel, The Rose Master, was published in 2014 and was called a “strong and satisfying effort” by Publishers Weekly.