The Mistress

Gold cherry

By Jane Hyphen

Sun, 15 Jan 2023
  • 366 reads
9 comments
 

 

I saw her the day before, 

the week before,

in a frame some time ago,

when the leaves were

still on the trees;

hanging without purpose,

waiting to fall.

 

I thought I saw her falter

though she still shone

bright as we stared 

and spoke of her power,

broke it with a joke

at her expense,

as cruel as headlights on her.

 

She carried empty boxes

from the cheap shop

and holding something else,

far heavier than duty,

bigger than the empty space.

How her face looked far away

from how we thought of her.

 

She was sewn into the nets,

tied to leaden obligation

and behind her eyes

a song played, 

tunes of her spring tide

in those open waters

of how she once floated free.

 

Down, down to hide

under the boat

where the children

signed their names

and sang their verse

as clarion as finches

about the deep blue sea.

 

 

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by celticman on

sings to me too. 

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thank you so much for the cherries and your comment.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

This poem will haunt you with its grace and pain. Stunningly beautiful, it is Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day! Please do share and retweet if you can

the image is from here :

https://tinyurl.com/4ym4dtzk

please change if you want to

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Hi Di, thank for so much for pick of the day.

The truth about this lady is sadder still but I hope I have conveyed a feeling of her power and her hopelessness.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

This many layered poem is beautifully enigmatic Jane. I read it earlier and had earmarked it for a reread. I'm so gald it was given some golden cherries - congratulations!

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thank you Insert. 'Many layered' is a wonderful compliment.

 

Submitted by TJW on

Mistress - not a word used much nowadays, well, at least not a word I encounter much nowadays. This one word, mistress, says it all, ain't it?  To me, anyway.  Nowadays we use lover, that's what I encounter.  Ever read The French Lieutenant's Lover?  

V/R

TJ

 

Submitted by Jane Hyphen on

Thanks for your comment TJW. She was neither that kind of mistress or a lover but to call her a teacher would have been strange too. I appreciate you reading and your feedback. 

 

Submitted by Kris on

 Caught it, see it, feel it, captured me & read 3x.... (its like an eloquent 4 dimensional vision/message in the same space-framed) & refreshing.....

Just passing bye Jane... cruise'n & peruzing my favorite writers + poets, this one really stuck.

Personally, I'd cherry it a  bit more with some whip-cream & sprinkles on top & the likes... winkangel  ..... Totally relate to the picture..... well done (again)*