Noses Bleed White by Joni Caggiano

A reflection of a woman in a mirror with three lines of white powder drugs on the surface and some dollar bills
Image Source: Canva

dahlias budding in arid Culiacan

gold and silver shine in your sun  

mines giving death to fledglings

evil rapes the earth, stealing her bounty

pacific wind blows humanity backward 

as do closed eyes of stiff cartel

coke bleeds noses pink and scarlet

death calls naïve lovers in silk sheets

as a sex slave dies from a beating

spinning clouds gaze as poppies grow 

noses bleeding cascading white 

powder aging users with her lies

Mayan pyramids hide countless secrets

bestowing homage to her children dead

-JONI CAGGIANO

Joni’s blog is Rum and Robots, where she has published poetry, photography, and short stories. Take a look at Joni’s work in Spillwords Press NYC, Vita Brevis Press, The Finest Example, The Tiny Seed Literary Journal, I Write Her – The Short of it, and MasticadoresUSA. Joni’s work was included in the following anthologies: The Sound of Brilliance (The Short of It Publishing, Volume 1 2020), Inner Eye (Poets Choice, 2021), and It’s Not Easy (Poets Choice 2021). Her blog is an effort to give back – she is a surviving Adult Child of Alcoholics. Joni is a retired nurse and paralegal.

You can also read her writing on Instagram @jonicaggiano and Twitter @theinnerchild1.

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30 thoughts on “Noses Bleed White by Joni Caggiano”

  3. Joni’s poetry reveals a sad side of our society where suffering and death are bought at hefty prices. As human beings, we attribute victory to reaping a profit, yet have no qualms even if it involves bloodshed and destruction of life. Has money become the altar at which we worship, sacrificing so many with the lure of hazardous substances? Not every question needs an answer when the screams of the lost and dying are so clear.
    Congratulations Joni!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. This is both brilliant and intense. The imagery is startling and there’s an almost dreamlike quality to the piece. There’s an undercurrent of brutality and despair, too. It all makes for an incredibly powerful experience. Wonderful writing, Joni. Your words are deep and compelling. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Thank you for this very kind comment Cindy. It is sad and I appreciate you reading Cindy. The saddest thing I think is that people look down on the country which is unfair. It is the cartel and that does horrific crimes other people are threatened and forced to do terrible things against their will. I appreciate your seeing the despicable justice to even the kindest soul. Thanks again Cindy and have a great weekend, love Joni

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