LatinosUSA

«Clouds of shame» by Kimberly Vargas Agnese

swirl abuse
’til light separates from dark
like oil and vinegar inkwells
and blame lays 
upon misused sheets.
Separate
the hit man’s truth 
from
 the victim’s throat
within the clouds lay-
the honest truth…
as Judas kills
so
Judas lives.
Hide not within 
the swirling grey
but rather
at 
the break of day
find the light
which separates

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Author’s Bio

Although born in the Florida Keys, Kimberly spent most of her childhood in California’s East Bay Area before migrating to Fresno where she currently resides with her adult daughter Stephanie, and their pumpkin colored dog, Pollyanna. 

Her full-length collection, Red String on a Saguaro Cactus was named a finalist for the 2022 Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize, awarded biannually by the Institute for Latino Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Her first collection, Kadupul Flower (Green Writers Press) releases Oct. 14th, 2025.