Every 4th of July I go back and read this poem by Kathleen Boyle. A beautiful, hazy, slightly unsettling poem that amazes me every time I reread it. 

From the images to the rhythms, the title to the ending, it all works toward a unified tone, a singular vision. 

This was the first poem I had to fight for as my tenure as a Poetry Editor at A River & Sound Review. In its own small way this poem was my freedom from, freedom to, my independence. 

May we all have and keep our freedoms, minute and massive, to and from.

“already unnoticed the days are shrinking” – Kathleen Boyle, “Fourth of July”