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MILE 32—

               ruby jewel trail

 

by lucien darjeun meadows

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Sun is out jacket is off 9 hours in and he looks at his arms and cannot remember how all these scars

got there. Mining roads over red hills except the colors are not quite right: are never quite right. To trace

the lines in his narrow bed at night reading braille written by someone else: left for someone else.

Some mirrors are two-way and you never know which: being followed for 4 years by a nurse to the

bathroom, to the shower. My kingdom, steep green holler, for a locked door, or just for a door. Both my hands for just one tree. Each sentence a bridge with a rotten plank he always steps through: meaning I miss you

saying no birds here. Saying medication time meaning help me remember blue. Saying not ready for home yet meaning I’m worried I might not know you next week. Saying I think the treatment is working meaning I don’t recognize myself in the mirror anymore.

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Lucien Darjeun Meadows is a writer of English, German, and Cherokee ancestry born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains. An AWP Intro Journals Project winner, Lucien has received fellowships and awards from the Academy of American Poets, American Alliance of Museums, Colorado Creative Industries, National Association for Interpretation, and University of Denver, where he is working toward his PhD.

© 2004-2025 All Rights Reserved. American Poetry Journal

The American Poetry Journal (APJ) is back and online only for now! Theresa Senato Edwards has taken over the reins as of April 21, 2025. Unfortunately, Theresa did not get much info on past submissions, except that all submissions were responded to. She queried about the anthology, chapbook, full-length submissions, and any upcoming online issues; but the same response was given to her: that all submissions were responded to. Theresa was not able to obtain access to the old APJ Submittable account either. She requested access but was told that the APJ Submittable account was unavailable. Theresa was not a part of the mess that transpired from 2022 to 2024, approximately. And she is sorry that she doesn't have additional news about much of the past submissions as well as submission fees. She asked for financial statements but was not given any. For now the website has been updated with issue and review archives, and we will go from there. Theresa apologizes that she doesn't have more to share and hopes that all her literary citizenship and fine literary reputation over the years will help APJ move positively forward, despite all the disappointment. Theresa will try her best to regain APJ's transparency, passion, and commitment to poets and poetry.​

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