When I edited the online journal Trasna, we published a few of Fred’s poems in different issues, including this one which exemplifies his economy of language, the tightness of his form, & the heart at its center: trasna.online/fred-johnsto... May he rest in peace.

Fred Johnston

The Word I knew the woman who jumped from the fourth floor Though no one uses that verb, they say She fell. (Not having protected her, the town protects itself.) Let’s praise the river for its mercies...