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Sorry I’m Late
Rory Strong & Phaye Poliakoff-Chen
© Tupelo Quarterly, May 2024

I

Sorry I’m late
I’ve been stalked by starved hyenas
I have some loose ends
I had a qualifying life event
Knife play, again.

Sorry I missed your call
I was numbing the pain hidden deep inside myself
I was singing songs to stop the silence
I’ve been shaking on the floor

Sorry I’m late
I am the family emergency

II

Sorry I’m late
I’ve been screaming in panic
I fell by the wayside
I’ve been taking the edge off
I yelled fire in a crowded theatre

Sorry I missed your call
It’s 14 days until Easter
The sky was falling
I’m in an armed standoff
The world got away from me
I’ve been bracing for impact

Sorry I’m late
The world was once spacedust
I was pursuing a goldrush
I’ve been cut off
I left myself at the altar
They stopped selling at midnight
I was locked in a tower
I chose my adventure

Sorry I’m late
I do not take place.

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Sorry I’m Late
Rory Strong & Phaye Poliakoff-Chen
© Tupelo Quarterly, May 2024

I

Sorry I’m late
I’ve been stalked by starved hyenas
I have some loose ends
I had a qualifying life event
Knife play, again.

Sorry I missed your call
I was numbing the pain hidden deep inside myself
I was singing songs to stop the silence
I’ve been shaking on the floor

Sorry I’m late
I am the family emergency

II

Sorry I’m late
I’ve been screaming in panic
I fell by the wayside
I’ve been taking the edge off
I yelled fire in a crowded theatre

Sorry I missed your call
It’s 14 days until Easter
The sky was falling
I’m in an armed standoff
The world got away from me
I’ve been bracing for impact

Sorry I’m late
The world was once spacedust
I was pursuing a goldrush
I’ve been cut off
I left myself at the altar
They stopped selling at midnight
I was locked in a tower
I chose my adventure

Sorry I’m late
I do not take place.

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Sorry I’m Late
Rory Strong & Phaye Poliakoff-Chen
© Tupelo Quarterly, May 2024

I

Sorry I’m late
I’ve been stalked by starved hyenas
I have some loose ends
I had a qualifying life event
Knife play, again.

Sorry I missed your call
I was numbing the pain hidden deep inside myself
I was singing songs to stop the silence
I’ve been shaking on the floor

Sorry I’m late
I am the family emergency

II

Sorry I’m late
I’ve been screaming in panic
I fell by the wayside
I’ve been taking the edge off
I yelled fire in a crowded theatre

Sorry I missed your call
It’s 14 days until Easter
The sky was falling
I’m in an armed standoff
The world got away from me
I’ve been bracing for impact

Sorry I’m late
The world was once spacedust
I was pursuing a goldrush
I’ve been cut off
I left myself at the altar
They stopped selling at midnight
I was locked in a tower
I chose my adventure

Sorry I’m late
I do not take place.

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A Lighthouse Keeper Considers Love
Gabriella Fee
© The Best American Poetry 2024; Guest House, Winter 2022

She came neither by
schooner nor skiff,
neither by sea nor  
brackish channel,
neither by south
nor east, nor west,
and if she came by
north, I saw nothing
of her arrival, standing
as I do with the ice
sheet at my back.
She said neither please
nor thank you,
had neither
suitcase nor hat.
When I gave her 
the choice
of spare bedrooms, 
she took neither 
yellow nor red.
She was neither tired
nor wakeful, spoke
neither kind words
nor cruel. When I set her
a place at my table,
she took neither chair
nor stool. She was neither
pale- nor dark-haired,
neither fat nor thin.
Evenings, I ran her a bath.
She neither got out
nor stayed in.
She could neither dive
to an oyster bed,
nor sail to town
for new oil, nor pull
hard on a fishing line,
nor tell humpback
from right whale.
She was neither
a wit nor a reader,
she could neither
weed nor sow.
When she sat
in the garden
while I pulled 
one potato
after another
from a rocky furrow,
she sang
neither fast
nor slow.

Proceeds from "The Roads Home are Paved..." will support Earl's Place Arts.

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The Road(s) Home are Paved With Second Chances
Poems from the residents of Earl’s Place, Baltimore, MD
2025-2026

The Road to Earl’s Place

In the midst of thinking about tomorrow
Yesterday came from behind and told me to move
Unpacking my bags from the day before while
Taking off my shoes and getting ready to leave
Arriving next day at a place I didn’t know
Bags full of clothes, in the dryer they go
I’m assigned a place to lay my head, a hold for mail
And sheets for the bed. A peaceful night once
Again has me up late to think.
Who is Earl? And
Why am I at his place?

–Joe Littles

Destination

It’s 12:00 PM. Time to call my Lyft
And head to Earl’s Place. Feeling happy and
Sad. Leaving behind those I’ve met.
My Lyft is here. Gotta load my bags
And head down this long stretch of
Richie Highway. As I ride, I ponder
About the classes I could have had
At Anne Arundel Community College
But that can wait. Gotta focus on
Getting housing. Time to bear off onto
95. Can’t wait to see the homes of the Birds then
I wonder what’s going on at the Harbor as I ride down
Pratt St. Can’t wait to sit by the water and
Ponder about my new path
Of sobriety. A few more blocks and I turn
Left and see that beautiful purple field
Straight ahead is that bright red door. I finally
Made it to the Next Chapter of
New beginnings.

–Tavon F.

How Did I Get to Earl’s Place?

A thought came to mind.
Should I extend my recovery in the
City that started it? (Why not?)
Mr. T, if I was to stay in Baltimore
To extend my recovery, what do you
Think I should do after this first
Phase with Valley Bridge
Well, Bryan, we recommend our clients
To go down the street from here
To a transitional place called Earl’s Place
After talks with family and friends
I took into consideration some of the
Things that I had in place. So with
That I decided to move forward with
Coming to Earl’s Place.

–Bryan Harrod

How Did I Get to Earl’s Place?

My journey started along North Broadway,
Heading South, through the Oliver, go past
Kennedy Krieger, and Mama Mia’s. I saw
Popeye along the way and famous Johns
Hopkins. By the time I reached the
Old Church Home Hospital I knew I was
Almost close.
I could’ve made a right turn at Broadway
And Baltimore where the old pharmacy
Used to be, so instead I stayed on the
Straight path until I reached the 7/11
I made a right, walked past Lombard
Middle School (57), and finally I made
It facing the back of City Spring. I’m
Here at Earl’s Place.

–Renaldo R.

Down and Out

From the streets to the Floor from
The floor to the boat on the floor
Room to Room
Bed to Bed
Now I’m here almost 2 years. Seen
Them come and go feels like a reality
Show. Only thing left to see is snow
Before I go.

–Corrie

How Did I Get to Earl’s Place?

Well, I been knowing this
Place called Earl’s Place was here. I asked
Many different people about this place but some
Knew about here, and some didn’t.
I went to a program up the street called Powell
Recovery, stayed there for 7 ½ months but
While I was there, I knew I had to find some
Shelter after that program. My counselor told
Me to go to Mr. Jim’s place. I said, what’s the name of it
It’s called Earl’s Place
After I talked to my counselor he gave me a sense of
Direction. It was down the street
So, down the street I went.

–Eddie Gilmore

Another Road to Earl’s Place

First I took the mountain road leaving behind
The place my soul was at home
Driving fast toward somebody else’s idea
Of a home for me it wasn’t meant to be
It turned me down another road just passed
That trashcan where I had my last meal
Then right into the arms of a new
Group of peers who showed me
A new way to where I was
Going. Finally, I learned to drive
By myself.
Home has always been a foreign place
For me, going straight left right - no matter
Which way I go I’m never there, trying
To figure out what this place is. Does it
Have a door a heart a hug, I don’t know
It ways welcome on the rug, maybe they
Mean it, this place home.I’ve never seen
It I walked in this door that had Earl’s
On the front. Thank God they mean it.

–Vincent Kiehl

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