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From the archives

Operative Words

Behind the campaign curtain

Snuffed Torch

Can the Olympic myth survive?

Lax Americana

What happens if Donald Trump returns to the White House?

Several Women Booked an Appointment with God at the Same Time

It’s true. It happened.
And against all odds, all three
Arrived on time.
Forced to choose
Among them, he hid
Under the desk.
He held his breath.
The women waited.
They were not impatient.
Not after all the hassle
Just to get here.
In fact, they traded
Passports. Mugshots.
They sang a few tunes
From the Old Country.
They had such awful voices,
He couldn’t stand it.
Stop it, he cried.
For god’s sake, stop it.
One dropped her purse.
The other her handkerchief.
The third took up a collection.
God pulled the fire alarm.
After all, these were unforeseen
Circumstances.
Time to vacate.

Priscila Uppal is a poet, short story writer, novelist and professor of humanities and English at York University. Her latest book of poetry, Ontological Necessities, was shortlisted for the 2007 Griffin Prize. Her work has been translated into several languages.

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