Bo Peep, dead sheep, alibis, indiscreet 

maquillage, décolleté.  No one believes

what she will say of this flock in the street, 

eighth who disappeared.  A proficient grief

they’ve memorized, townspeople know she

monetized,  after all the shopping sprees,

the chiffon crinolines and luxuries —

on a shepherdess subsistency?

Do country girls assess them this naive?

Those who follow to investigate,

footprint her orchid grass, white clover late, leave

evidence of their trespass, cannot sate 

a communal desire for justice at last.

Another grief they’ll peep, the town forecasts.

Kristin Garth is a Pushcart, Rhysling nominated sonneteer and a Best of the Net 2020 finalist.  Her sonnets have stalked journals like Glass, Yes, Five:2:One, Luna Luna and more. She is the author of 20 books of poetry including Candy Cigarette Womanchild Noir (Hedgehog Poetry Press), Flutter Southern Gothic Fever Dream (TwistiT Press), and Girlarium (Fahmidan Journal).  She is the founder of Pink Plastic House a tiny journal and co-founder of Performance Anxiety, an online poetry reading series. Follow her on Twitter:  (@lolaandjolie) and her website kristingarth.com