Sapphic Stanzas
Fulcrum
A collaboration between Tracy Aston and Indira Reddy
the word sparkled, cold and deadly between us;
shock transforming to excuses, cavorted
in vehement denial — just like always —
your words shadow mine
for years, living in humid shade — quieted,
stifled, words snuffed out before I gave them breath
but this, your latest diatribe, fills my lungs,
syllables forming
rip loose from habit formed manacles; your jaw
drops, silently; words unsaid, freed after years
squander themselves in the charged air, exhaustion
settles in, I stop
to savour sweet sourness resting scum-like on
your shocked expression — a novelty — I laugh
surprise myself, cover my mouth — remember —
I have found my voice
I will never let it falter again but
undoing our images in each other’s eyes,
will need more than this single moment; I fear —
how many have we left?
are you willing to listen to those I claim,
learn my subtleties of tone and inference?
or would you rather live with the silent space
where I used to be…
© Tracy Aston and Indira Reddy 2019
