Patina

Diana Cao

He had Beethoven's ego but not his talent. Regardless

we could name both of them centuries later, Beethoven and

the other one. Who am I forgetting tonight?

Across the street, a warm light flicks

on between aged brick and copper. Imagine wanting

only what matters over time.

about the author
Diana Cao

Diana Cao

Diana Cao's poetry and fiction have appeared in Ploughshares, The Threepenny Review, The Yale Review, and elsewhere. She has received support from MacDowell, the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and Just Buffalo Literary Center. Her debut collection, Slipstream, won the 2024 Berkshire Prize, selected by Matthew Rohrer, and is forthcoming from Tupelo Press in 2026.