NUMBING
*
*
BURNING
Under the left
shoulder blade shield
at the curve nearest the spine
deep, there
deep, rightthere
deeper
TINGLING
Like starlight in a Dark Sky city
so many twinkling fingertipsÂ
I see history-in-the-making and
a never-ending story
D
U
L
L
I
N
G
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A chronically ill poet, artist, and editor, Avery C. Castillo’s art is fueled by 20+ years of living with a childhood autoimmune disease and chronic pain. A 2025 Picture Book Mentee with We Need Diverse Books, Avery writes to give voice to the unique, and often, invisible experience of growing up with Juvenile Arthritis. Her writing has been published in a variety of anthologies and literary magazines. She is pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Visit writingsbyavery.com for more.
