Date Due:  July 13th 2024, at 12 Noon Eastern Time

Contest Guidelines:  40 lines or less and written in any form of poetry, and one poem per member.

 Prize: One month Premium, Recognition on your profile and published in our anthology.

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Learn More About Contests Here

Coal Mine Canary

Submitted by hippiemoon

Do you know about coal mine canaries?
They used to take caged birds down into the coal mines,
And when they would die the workers would know to leave too.

Let me be a canary in your chest.
Let me live inside your rib cage,
Feel your heart beat for me,
Watch your blood flow through your veins.

Keep me safe next to your heart
And I’ll keep you safe from all that’s bad.

Use me as your compass,
I’ll tell you to run when things get hard.

Let me be your coal mine canary.
Let me sacrifice myself to save you from the inevitable.