POETRY

After

Scrittura Ekphrastic Prompt Response: In the Aftermath

pinhole photograph by author

Dawn taps me on the shoulder,
a soft awakening

so my body slowly rises
from the deep place it sinks
during darker hours

every morning clicks into place
like clockwork: there is rust in my bones,
the corrosions of time, mistakes, wrong turns
all calcifying into a heavy weight
that holds me tight,
that pins me to the bed,
this plunging pit of escape and regret

But I see the light washing over
the distant trees and fences
and the sky revealing a blue brushed clean,
ready to begin again.
So I will also make myself ready,
with a long, slow breath
returning to life

This poem is in response to Ann Marie Steele’s ekphrastic prompt in Scrittura: please check it out!

In the Aftermath

I have a complicated relationship with sleep, especially this year when I have been dealing with health issues. The painting especially spoke to me, and this poem surfaced as a result. Thank you, readers!