Ryan Bradley, 1/25/2010

Current Occupation: Manager of an independent children’s bookstore
Former Occupation: Laborer at Pump Station 1 on the Trans Alaska Pipeline
Contact Information: Ryan W. Bradley has fronted a punk band, done construction in the Arctic Circle, and now manages an independent children’s bookstore. He is the editor of Artistically Declined Press and received his MFA from Pacific University and his poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in a myriad of publications including The Oregonian, Third Wednesday, Sir! Magazine, and PANK. He lives in Southern Oregon with his wife and two sons and blogs at ryanwbradley.blogspot.com.

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Post-Arctic Culture Shock

I dare you. Work three months

in a place without trees, then go home.

It will hit you, two days later

drinking a tall coffee with your mother.

You will notice all the trees,

and it will make you nauseous.

It’s not the trees making you sick.

It’s only them becoming new.