A poem by Valentina Cano

The thought that the right words,
strung like fish-bait
and just as colorful,
are out there,
is enough to spend her minutes down
to their bone seconds.
She picks and shucks,
tapping each syllable with
a seashell fingernail,
bringing them up to her nose for a final whiff.

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.