poetry / free verse/ekphrasis
Too Late to Still the Wind
The shackles
what is the tree thinking
watching you disguised
in ballooning blue robes
cool air of freedom buoying
your skin
the S — a — i — l
the B — o — a — t
awoooooooooooooosh~~~
there must be a way
O — U — T~~~
whistling wind
ascending waves
know
even the rock grotto
R — i — s — i — n — g
knows
you knew all along
none of the shackles matter
I didn’t
there isn’t a time when I see the word
Mom
an ache doesn’t devour my heart
cloudy eyes look into blank space
a drop hangs from the nose
it isn’t an allergy
you. dressed. wandering. missed
where we were supposed to meet
frustration. anger
why did I SCOLD you
why did I not hug instantly
your warm back. hunched over
from years of toil.
and say
Mom. I was worried sick.
you didn’t care for cell phones
you didn’t care about the gourmet lunch
you only wanted to see me
loneliness. jealousy. oh you knew
stepmother’s wrath
your trophies thundered. writhing on the floor
s — m — a — s — h — e — d
isolation. living under someone’s roof
upstream. The only girl
in a boys’ school
fear. desperation
cap ‘n gown
dodging bombs. war sirens
s — c — r — e — a — m — i — n — g
most of the faculty missing
outrage. pity
marrying an artist
you shouldn’t have
oh, you knew. you knew.
your rebellious paintbrush
knew. gales carrying your determined body
to a world you dreamt of
free~~~
you knew. you knew
you loved
you weren’t in disguise
hair swept away from the world’s tangles
sacred space in howling currents knew
your face. beyond beauty
your soul. luminous generosity
you. finally unshackled~~~
for not hugging you instantly. Mom
forgive me. forgive me
forgive me
f — o — r — g — i — v — e
m — e
my shackles
© Pseu Pending (Seu) 2024
*This lost painting is one of 52, returned to our family after my mother passed away.
