MEDUSA
Do you know
How
A life shakes
Itself free
And falls apart
Time takes time
Away
You cannot
Look at me
And if you did
You would
Break
My heart
Beating wild
In the forest
Dreams
Of a child
I stand
Here
With a head
Full
Of snakes
Lonely
And alone
The world
Aches
With desire
For everything
I see
Is a fire
Everything
That looks at me
Burns for a while
And turns
To stone
You are the one
Who came
To free me
From the cold throne
Of indecision
The impenetrable fragile prison
Of my skin
Made mortal
By the blade
Of everything
That made you
Afraid
Of me
All
I ever needed
Was love
Someone to look
Inside
And see
What I was
Truly
Made of
Just a girl
Who could not
Escape
Who lay
On the floor
Of the temple
And cried
As she was
Changing shape
Beneath
His increasing weight
Do you know
How
A life tastes?
Water
Metal
Rust
Dust
And blood
A flood of stuff
Creates
Me
“I”
I am nothing
But what appears
In your story
Now
Someone else’s fears
Reflected
On my face
All that is
Left of me is lonely
Frozen traces
Of tears
In stone
I will be
Your shield
I will be
Your mask
I will be
Your home
©2020 Julie Flanders
October Process 