LAST SUMMER IN NEW YORK

Moving through the hot air,
             wet with Northeast weather patterns,
it feels like I’ll never leave.

The moment the hotel door opens,
             that first push of conditioned air and darkness,
let me pretend I am somewhere else entirely.

My eyes close and when I open them,
             it is entirely possible that
I will see you,

all long legs and freckles and perfect teeth,
             and that thought is enough to carry me through
one more summer in New York.

Liz DeGregorio’s writing has appeared in Ruminate Magazine, BUST Magazine, Gravitas, The Tulane Review, Scorpion Magazine, Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Decomp Journal, *82 Review, The Ocotillo Review, From Whispers to Roars, Ponder Review, Crack the Spine‘s anthology “Neighbors,” Riva Collective’s Chunk Lit, Dark Moon Lilith Press,Two Sisters, Indie Blu(e) Publishing’s anthologies “SMITTEN” and “As the World Burns,” In Parentheses, and “The Heartbreak Project” anthology. She’s also performed at Providence’s Dorry Award-winning storytelling series Stranger Stories.