"Ruminating Heart"

By Benjamin Fortier

Gripped by a sudden, vivid memory of you.
All flowing thought is suddenly walled off
And leveed.
You become the emphasis of attention.

Shaken by the uncontrollable intrusion,
Ensnared & ambushed.
Sucked into the fray of self-reflection
Slashing flesh on jagged edges.
The mirror, clouded and cold,
Self-abjection sustains the stranglehold.

Whimpers of agony, hot liquid pours out of me,
As they fall away in beads.
Eventually.

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Native Rhode Islander and proclaimed Renaissance Man, Iraq veteran Benjamin Fortier is a multi-talented writer, musician, and technology geek. He is currently in school (again) studying computer networking and cybersecurity. His day job is in service to his rescue dog, Princess Peppa Pig the American Bully. He is the author of Stones of the Wooded Valley and The Silent Whispers of Omens.

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Catch our interview with Michael J. Plunkett this week on the Savage Wonder Podcast.

Tickets are going fast for the Parlor this season! Reserve your tickets for our upcoming reading of Bad Jews here.

We are currently offering multiple dates for our online and in-person Playwriting for Veterans classes, and our Acting for Beginners class is now being offered weekly every Saturday from 10am-12pm. Scholarships for qualifying veterans, as well as multi-class passes are available. Registration details can be found here.