Mike Puican’s debut book of poetry Central Air was released by Northwestern Press last August. He’s had poems in Poetry, Michigan Quarterly Review, New England Review, among others. He was a member of the Chicago Slam Team and has been a long-time board member for the Guild Literary Complex. He has taught poetry to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals at the Federal Metropolitan Correctional Center and St. Leonard’s House in Chicago. Photo Credit: Iwona Biderman Photography

OFFERING by Mike Puican


Unknown, wind-blown, the night 
requests your presence. The world burns 
at the oven door of your blank page. 

An offering moves from one hand 
to another, just as in Christ’s time—
rewinding and grieving, rewinding 

and grieving. Take a bite of the onion. 
Do you know where you are?
Here is a box of ashes and a handshake.  

The rest is your problem. 

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