‘Pink Flamingo’ by Özge Lena I was groundedby my father he made me stand on my one foot like the shame pinkflamingo I saw that night by thesalt lake glistening like a paraph on apaper of sprinkled diamonds at the timemy mother died but I was kissing you and the flamingo was so pink the lake bleached yourlips lust pink when it was too late to call the ambulance my mother’s eyes poison pink lyingon the rust pink kitchen linoleum I knelt down whispering flamingo flamingo flamingorealizing if I repeat a word more than ten times it would sound like coming from another time of another planet of scar pink like the word motherlike the word mother About the Author Özge Lena (she/her) is an Istanbul-based writer/poet and an English language teacher who has a published novella titled Otopsi (The Autopsy). Her poems appeared in Green Ink Poetry, Fahmidan Journal, One Art Poetry Journal, Seiren Quarterly, Off Menu Press, and elsewhere. Her poetry was shortlisted for the Ralph Angel Poetry Prize 2021, judged by Mary Ruefle. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading... Published by fragmentedvoices A small, independent press based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, and Prague, the Czech Republic View all posts by fragmentedvoices