White stones in my
Rock garden, like
Oyster shells, are hard
And unforgiving to
My well-worn shoes.
When rain falls, ants
Hide beneath these
Companion stones,
Symbiotic things.

/

Martha Patterson‘s 27-story collection “Small Acts of Magic” was published by Finishing Line Press in 2021. Her work has also been published in more than 20 anthologies and journals, and her plays have been produced in 21 states and eight countries. She has two degrees in Theatre, from Mount Holyoke College and Emerson College, and lives in Boston, Massachusetts. She loves being surrounded by her books, radio, and laptop.