What is a Myth?
By Nathan DeBar
a myth is a river delta
splitting off into countless little streams
it allows you to follow one thread at a time
until it leaves you also lost at sea
a myth is a skinny grey squirrel
desperately foraging before a snowflake forms
running quickly atop a white wooden fence
across the sight of your loaded slingshot
a myth is the little boy’s fractured elbow
when you took off his training wheels
and pushed his bike down a steep hill
while he’ll only remember the mowed grass smell
Nathan DeBar is a poet and short story author from Mississippi. He holds a Master's in Greek and Latin from the University of Georgia and teaches English in Europe. His prose poem "The One I Loved" has been nominated for the Best Small Fictions Anthology 2026, and his short story "The Long Morning," was chosen as "Editor's Pick" by Styx Papers Lit Mag.