DRIFTWOOD AND BONE

bursts of summer and yellow-eyed butterflies and
a chiseled sculpture, worn down, flat like a stiff tuxedo cuff,
risen and engraved in the hearth of hard dirt wetted by rain
with wood stumps like starfish

be dazzling grey roses, dried and wrapped in baby thorn coats
winding round drooping oak trees colored ashy.
spanish moss in fat heaps draping gracefully down
to the jasmine suckled iron gate,  rusted bled mauve,
a woman’s birdcage made from driftwood and bone.

alone dangling off a cracked branch. the gutty belch of thunder,
like a hand, inviting inne, a gold knob like a hump shivering
sprouts out by rocks rounded perfect by ancient winds
softened gleeful by cool spurts of vivid june, bugs
hollow and stuck to froth webs, glued leaves to glossed dews

the spinal pickets quiver, begin to unbraid the itty door
swinging open, a ghastly glimpse into wind, a clattering mouth,
legs with winding limbs of stems straddling nests, eggs, rattling,
the blast of crisp distant lightning scything,
ocean smothered face, grappling the paling birdcage door

swinging open as the blackening nails of drifting evening
dampen wincing hedge stones, molding
an egret with an egress, stoned rose eyes unspiraling,
unearthed rods of rust gates despining, abysm unholing the
inne open, for You, to undewly pass.

Photo Credit: Carl Campbell Flickr via Compfight cc

Written by 

Alexandra Meehan is a neurodivergent poet and poetry editor residing in Gainesville, Florida. Alexandra earned her BA in English from the University of South Florida in Creative Writing.She has mentored lyricists and has worked as a professional writer and as a creative director. Alexandra enjoys watching foreign films, cultivating carnivorous plants, and painting. She is enamored by wordplay and has a lifelong obsession with Emily Dickinson. Alex's work has appeared in Feminine Collective and Rhythm & Bones Lit. She has a forthcoming poetry book. Follow Alexandra on Twitter @LexMeehan

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One thought on “DRIFTWOOD AND BONE

  1. Finally!! I’ve been looking for more of your writing. Your use of language is so lovely bringing character, depth, and life to every object it touches, in every phrase. This piece in particular perfectly personifies nature (stems and nests and moss and thunder) seamlessly weaving them together into her character making her indistinguishable from first the environment then the birdcage itself of driftwood and bone

    “legs with winding limbs of stems straddling nests”
    “The gutty belch of thunder”
    “spanish moss in fat heaps draping gracefully down to the jasmine suckled iron gate, rusted bled mauve”

    The final lines are my favourite as she opens the door for “us” to undewly pass.

    PS: I look forward to reading more of your work, and although I can’t afford it (I’ll find a way) I may buy your forthcoming poetry book!

    -Sincerely Yours,
    Nobody

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