She’s a crocodile but no one has told her yet. She keeps rubbing in concealer and setting powder, blue eye shadow, fake lashes, and light pink blush. She wears knit sweaters and makes up sentences with words that sound good together, that prickle tongues and sharpen teeth. What would you do if you didn’t know you were a crocodile? If you woke up one day and the world were different? Suddenly, there’s no Tuesday, no Elm Street, no English. No shame, no embarrassment. Just you, a crocodile, and God.
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Katherine Schmidt is a researcher and poet currently based in Washington, D.C. Her poetry is published in New Note Poetry, Unbroken, and 3Elements Review.
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image: MM Kaufman
Rejection Letters 