Five siblings inherit a blanket. They lie beneath it, together, to stay warm.
          But arms and legs stick out and the siblings squabble and tug. They do
          not realize that they would all fit if they just moved closer together.

This is the Blanket Story. Poets, artists, and musicians have responded to this tale in creative ways. All poems appear here, our ONLINE POETRY SHOWCASE. Visit our main page to find out more about the project.

Ruth Zamoyta

Under the Blanket

They held the edges of their parents’ blanket
(once a tent under which they played
with twiglike limbs and the milky breath of children)
and pulled it over their father’s face.
Their mother sat in the corner picking at her chin,
knowing something bad had happened.
They got in their cars and drove home.

When the oldest got home, her lover woke up and they made love.
All night she lay still, listening to his breath,
avoiding his calloused heels and the damp patch on the sheets.