Eve Rifkah has had her poems published in 5 AM, The MacGuffin, Belleview Literary Review, The Worcester Review, Discovery (a magazine in Braille), California Quarterly, and Porcupine to name just a few. Rifkah now can add the streets of Worcester to her long list of accreditations.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Worcester County Poetry Association selected 13 short poems from Worcester residents for display across various bus stops in Worcester. Poems could not exceed 49 words, including the name of the poet and a title, if there was one.

The WCPA announced the winners this past summer. The winning poems are stenciled on sidewalks using paint that is only visible when it rains. Rifkah’s “when the dish cracks” was selected and appears at the Girl’s Inc. Bus Stop. It was “installed” back in September.

“I love the ephemeral quality of a poem that can only be read when it rains or if you bring your little spray bottle with you and wet it down,” Rifkah said, who added that she plans to go around to the 13 bus stops that will adorn poems with a squirt bottle herself to read them.

Rifkah, who is the artistic director of Poetry Oasis, Inc. and an adjunct English professor at Worcester State College, located the poem she wanted to submit to WCPA’s contest in her published book.

“I don’t write many short poems, so it was difficult to find one,” Rifkah said. “The one I did find though was very important to me because I did it in memory of a friend of mine that died of cancer a few years ago.”

The poem, “when the dish cracks” reads:

Pieces held in hand
Crumbs fall between

Three pieces held
In her hands

She hears her friend
Say life too short
To fret broken
glass

Rifkah said that she would help her friend, like many of their peers, as she was battling cancer. Rifkah’s friend had been in the process of selling her house and packing up.

“She was under this research drug they were trying out and it was exhausting her and she had so much to do,” Rifkah said.

Rifkah was helping one day and was worried about breaking an item, she said. The friend however said not to stress.

“She said, ‘Don’t fret broken glass. Life’s too short,’” Rifkah said. “I was like ‘Of course.’”

A few years later Rifkah’s friend passed away, but the words stuck with Rifkah when she broke something again.

“I thought of her. ‘Oh well. That’s the way it is,’” Rifkah said. “Don’t worry about the little things.”

“It’s a place where young girls are, and they can read it. Maybe it’ll mean something for them,” Rifkah said. “Just to not fret the simple things.”

The judges of the poetry were Juan Matos, Elizabeth Bacon, Katherine Gregiore, and Walter Molina. The team selected 13 poems and seven honorable mentions. To see all 13 poems and their locations visit worcestercountypoetry.org.