Poetry and Prose from the Center for Writers
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by LENA LOUVIERE
Ruins of a Young Woman
Ever since that fateful day, I have been broken.
When I attempt speaking to him, I am broken.
Invisibility is my strength when around him.
His eyesight reaches the mainframe; he stands broken.
His words die away in my state of mind.
My argument means nothing. We appear broken.
My thoughts are as isolated as a fetus in the womb.
They are worthless and gloomy; they are broken.
My tears are as desolate as death!
The rain beats down on my dead body – broken!
My brain is as lonesome as the homeless man.
Its intelligence leaks from my ears; it is broken.
My eyes are as solitary as a divorced couple.
Fiery, wet water drains down my face - unbroken.
My heart beats so slowly and lonely in my chest.
Thump...Thump…Thump; it exists unbroken.
I feel pain in order to find hopefulness in my being.
My existence is resilient. My glass cracks – breaking
Many people question: “Why are you so spent?”
My shards are scattered about – I lay broken.
The Strawberry Queen
The strawberries are red in the morning
she awakes to the stars
dark skinned and wrinkled
removing curlers
replacing them with a straw hat
the radio blares
breakfast is ready
she grabs her keys
arrives at the barn
the ducks are fed
she meets her help
green plastic boxes, she holds in her hands
the morning star starts up the path
slowly and heated
The strawberries are red in the afternoon
in her kitchen, she cooks
the aroma seeps through the windows
she hears the sweetest sounds
her grand-babies giggling
her hands clap together
with a smile as big as the moon
she embraces them
they eat dough and make bread
the afternoon sun
beats down on their heads
The strawberries are red in the evening
tonight she claims,
she found the angels
that saved her from the flames
her creations are gone
she titles herself lazy
she deserves it
that amazing lady-
lies in bed
her family surrounds her
tears flood the room
as the angels and her daughter
wait to take her home
she’ll be wearing white,
trimmed in gold
“I’m lazy today”
she says as her eyes close
the evening star falls in the sky-
Strawberry red
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