‘Chicken Salad’ by C. W. Bryan

Chicken Salad

Sometimes I’ll roast pecans
with cayenne & brown sugar
—even on summer mornings.

It will smell like you
& I will fold the pecans into
chicken salad. You will not eat it
not because it isn’t good, but rather
because you are allegedly in love

with someone else.
He is allergic to nuts.
& you love him anyway.
I will make a sandwich
with the chicken salad I made for you.
& I know before I even taste it

the bread will be so dry I choke.

C.W. Bryan is a student at Georgia State University. He lives with his clowder of cats and girlfriend in Atlanta, GA where he writes poetry. He is writing daily with Sam Kilkenny at poetryispretentious.com. His debut chapbook, Celine, was published in 2023 by Bottlecap Press.