his heat once broke through
October chill, but not now
her unexplored body like a
unraised objection withers
in the silence, the dead
rise from their beds as funeral vines
winding over stones, through cotton
no more utility
in their dry tongues
they will not touch
their domestic steps
move apart, she cannot
hold the lord of exits and is left
where she was felled, dainty as
a white-bellied petal underfoot
A lovely poem. My favorite lines: "her unexplored body like a
ReplyDeleteunraised objection withers in the silence, the dead" and "
where she was felled, dainty as a white-bellied petal underfoot."
I love how you didn't tell us of her fate until the last lines
ReplyDeleteI love that you have given the painting’s subject a name. These lines stood out for me:
ReplyDelete‘her unexplored body like an
unraised objection withers
in the silence…’
and the image of the dead rising from their beds ‘as funeral vines winding over stones’.
Beautifully crafted. I admire the enjambment.
ReplyDeleteWhat fabulous closing lines!
ReplyDelete