The Word She Dreaded The word she dreaded Hung at first like mist Over a rolling field Then settled on her shoulders Lightly as a loosely woven shawl Her neck moved freely and She didn’t lose a step or Miss a trick But it was always there In heat and cold, from Heights to hollow, all along The bruising earth And even when she cast it off by force The memory remained, A greater yoke that pressed upon The days she wished for Wandering and delight As other arms turned into Tendrils coiled Like petals blown her curses flew And in demise they fell On promises and bell-like lips That knew full well – Or should have known! – Forgotten kisses were enough ________________________________________________________________________ |