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 Promise

Sickle moon – floating promise 

in post-sunset dimming Thursday sky 

my curious heartbeats leap across 

approaching bank of dusky purple 

clouds ready to swallow all afterglow 

 

leaving my field of vision imprinted 

with the delicate empty cradle 

a skeleton ebony bowl sailing 

quietly into obscure night – who 

will invite us to embark the boat 

 

for surely unknown destiny 

so far from home just minutes 

before dinner – in the basket 

mushrooms and bread snuggling 

with small honey nut squash 

 

will we make it 

it is so dark 

the promise 

so faint 

a memory 

 

wide open ears  face raised skywards 

will the rains wash dusty lips or were 

we slow to drink the fainting moonlight 

our bare feet must appease the roads 

so no blood will spill – promise 

 

we will feed and cradle – promise

our heartbeats must appease 

the gods of vengeance 

 

refusing despair and demons  

we will feed the stranger 

we will cradle what is other 

  

we will feed and cradle

we promise

you

 


Karina Epperlein, November 17, 2023

 



Comments

  1. Ken SissonNovember 19, 2023 at 8:39 PM

    Envelop and nurture promise, keep it close, do not let that memory fade away. Thank you for sharing this beautiful, moving work of art.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. KarinaNovember 20, 2023 at 9:32 AM

      Can we humans make a promise to learn to feed the stranger, and cradle those who are other than we? Can we remember, or is the memory of what it means to be human faint?

      Delete
  2. FernNovember 25, 2023 at 9:37 AM

    We WILL cradle what is other. Thank you for these wonderous words, placed so perfectly.

    ReplyDelete

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