I don’t miss you at church, I don’t miss you In front of God I miss you driving to work, Cracking open a Celsius, Eating cacio Pepe I miss you when I’m getting dressed I miss you when they bring out The wrong appetizer I couldn’t possibly kneel deeper I couldn’t possibly dig my nails into this tree bark Any harder But the breeze bends me to The doorstep of your altar (pour your wax into my mouth) And I don’t miss you in prayer books Sermons or speeches But skipping rocks, peeling off leeches Til the sabotage climbs like fern What did I do What did I do Want to meet at the mall And review maps Make plans and hold new hands I may not be your bride But we both know I’m your bridle Copyright ©️ Kimberly Virga 2026

The way you stalk me, abiding by evil, Is so fruitful And still I’m almost collapsed onto my knees, Despite the carnage, the red lips, the kill You dart between trees and heartstrings Ready to strip me of any flesh I have left, anything worthy Ready to clip me of any molted wings I could’ve kept, But you insist they wouldn’t serve me Every time I dip down into the water, I only see your face And the sky has knelt for an unfunny god And I’m running, but let’s be honest I love being in this place Copyright ©️ Kimberly Virga 2026

A lot of people commented on my poetry and eulogy for my grandfather, who passed away on January 12. I wanted to share the tribute tattoo I got for him yesterday. He was, at heart, an artist, and this is an easel with his initials. Just wanted to share.

Could this be my last glass of wine Before you drain my body of its spring I’m telescoping through lifetimes And In each one I don’t mean a thing To you But before I become unglued, Peter Pan I will write the burial site of our love, Buildings demolished, graves robbed I want to tongue the gray ash of your face And you were never half the man But God have I mourned, God have I sobbed I am notebook lines, empty, begging for a morsel Of any of your time Your thievery is elite How one can be so cruel Yet Capable of great love It batters my brain But Light the stake on fire, go ahead Just be sure You never again want to palm the soft hair Of my head I know it’s hard for you to keep yourself together (in the east corner, cold, of my yard, I’ve buried your name; Didn’t you know I’d go that hard?) If you bled out on my kitchen floor, I would wipe carefully, like cleaning out a womb But instead you have jailed me, despite great love, In your prison rooms And I’ll wear your fatigues And tell time by shadows on the wall But confess to me now That I never meant anything else to you at all Copyright ©️ Kimberly Virga 2026

No body, no crime Except I kept your crinkled bag of Cheetos And so I have proof of you And you thought if you could court martial My heart Then… I’d stop looking for any heroes But you can’t expect a mountain range to stumble When the language of its land Is so severe Ancient and austere You can’t expect to tip me over Just to entertain your baby fears No body, no crime Except The substrata of my soul Has been keeping time And you thought you’d have a full cup But the gig is up Copyright ©️ Kimberly Virga 2026