by Nicole Desjardins Gowdy

He’s chasing the feeling of that first time, head breaking through the clouds, hands raw, racing feet racing pulse, a heavy sack of gold, a darting chicken laying inedible eggs, and a harp that wouldn’t stop screaming until he buried it out back, then nothing would grow for miles. He climbs trees, rocks, mountains, and once, a golden braid that hung from a tower. Sometimes, he looks out his office window, picturing the view from the sky. Other times, he remembers the gentle cow, udders swollen and pulsing, watching with sad eyes as he released her rope.

Originally from Minneapolis, MN, Nicole Desjardins Gowdy now lives in the foothills outside Los Angeles, CA. She studied creative writing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she received a University Book Store Award for Academic Excellence for her senior thesis, a collection of short stories. Her writing has appeared in Variant Literature, Black Fox Literary Magazine, West Trade Review, MoonPark Review, Literary Mama, and more. Connect on Instagram @nicoledesjardinsgowdy.