This month’s Versed in Florida poet is 23-year-old Fort Myers native Shannon Riley. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in creative writing and theatre from Florida Gulf Coast University. She’s now earning her Master’s degree in English from FGCU while working as a creative writing and drama teacher at Gateway Charter High School. She tells WGCU’s Amy Tardif her youth is beneficial in the classroom.
Fine Persian Rug
They sewed the tassels on the end
of the Persian rug with thread
made of food stamps
and broken jobs
Dead kids
Smiling over a sugar stick
Mommy out sucking
up to three-piece suits
One by one
In they come
Out they go
but the Persian rug never leaves