Ryan Keating is a writer, teacher, and winemaker on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. His work can be found in publications such as Saint Katherine Review, Ekstasis Magazine, Amethyst Review, Macrina Magazine, Fathom, Vocivia, Roi Fainéant, and Miras Dergi, where he is a regular contributor in English and Turkish.
SUITCASE MAGIC
My suitcase bubbles with magic and trouble,
The zipper barely containing the excitement of
My children gathering around the vinyl cauldron
As l begin to conjure from the swirling depths
Trinkets and treasure from my latest trip;
Wooden puzzles, rocks, mysterious aromas,
And flavors to feed their imaginations
By the familiarity of exotic things
Rising with the stories that give them meaning-
Not to apologize for being away ten days,
Not an offering to appease angry spirits-
But a communing with souls invited
To mingle on the journey after the fact
Sharing the icons of joy acquired along the way
As sacred tokens for preserving memory
Reflected in their holding and beholding enchanted.
© Ryan Keating, 2022
be:longing 