In the Beginning

Pamela Edwards
Sep 3, 2018 · 3 min read

I. Across the Disorder

The old women came first
shimmering across the border
You could see them a mile away
dreaming through the desert glaze
silver scarves straying
behind them like doubts
as they streamed to the rescue

Arriving in waves of faded caravans
pecking our dusty cheeks with light kisses
gathering us to shelter in silky soft arms
wrinkling their noses
to say
we can do better than this


II. Found in Space

Was that when we arrived?

Who knows? I have no idea
what direction we were heading
and the timeline is fuzzy

All I remember
is this wellspring morning
erupting into laughter
cascading through labyrinthine times
un-scrolling upon the feet
of dancers
to say
now we get carried away


III. Stepping Out

Was that when a door opened?

I don’t recall the step by step order we followed back then

Whenever,
half-full of fragility
we bound ourselves up
in bright defiance
put on an honest disguise
and stepped over the line

One by one
unchained by each other
to say
will you come out and play?


IV. Holding On

Was that when it got ugly?

Or beautiful?

This part of the story
has always been unclear to me
even upon reflection
I was busy looking away

Everyone was distracted
mainlining misery
heads cupped in hands
no hope of a homecoming
a return to civility
where someone
would say
I can hold you


V. The Harsh Sentence

Was that when words failed us?

I couldn’t say

They had served us so long
narrating blind alleys
scrolling past
ragged encampments
losing the plot
to storm the walls
where the statues of tyrants
lined up on our ruins

And then
— this surprise ending
tall stories collapsing
in a rubble of questions
to say
nothing’s written in stone


VI. When We Returned

Was that when we went wild?

I don’t recall, it’s a long time ago

We were tame back then
and vicious

Still, something waited
at the unpaved edges
of the dire prescriptions for our future

As we congregated like crows
to hear the harsh calls

And we swam upstream
to spawn our small hopes

Until the wolfoyotes called us
into council
howling
are you ready to evolve?

Lit Up

Welcome to Lit Up -The Land of Little Tales. Here you can read and submit short stories, flash fiction, poetry - in brief, your own legend. We're starting little. But that's how all big stories begin.

Pamela Edwards

Written by

Irrationally hopeful. Foolishly hardy. Unseasonably active.

Lit Up

Lit Up

Welcome to Lit Up -The Land of Little Tales. Here you can read and submit short stories, flash fiction, poetry - in brief, your own legend. We're starting little. But that's how all big stories begin.

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