The walls close in
Birthing a prison
Of painted wood and stucco.
A hallucinatory jail
Of iron bars
And invisible jailers their
Nightsticks and cattle prods
Held aloft.
Escape!
My mind screams
As I jiggle one locked door
Then another
In vain.
The walls close in
With rain-spattered windows
That press against
My hands and face
Forcing the remembrance
Of the busy street that was
Before Shelter in Place
And the maleficent novel virus
Hovering in air.
Walls close in
Like an Alice in Wonderland
Nightmare
With warped mirrors
Forcing me to look
At the scars
I’ve tried so hard to hide
With Cover Girl
And powder.
I draw back
Then cry
No!
I will not curl into a fetal ball!
But observe each wall
And stroke the glass
With nurturing words
And love.
(Photo by David Stroup)
About Laurie: The author of The Pharaoh’s Cry, Portal Shift, Kidnapped Smile, and Dragon Sky from the fantasy series The Artania Chronicles, as well as the middle-grade Forest Secrets. Laurie Woodward co-wrote Dean and JoJo: The Dolphin Legacy. Her poetry has been published in multiple journals and anthologies and she was a collaborator on the popular anti-bullying DVD Resolutions. Bullied as a child, Laurie is now an award-winning peace consultant, poet, and blogger who helps teach children how to avoid arguments, stop bullying, and maintain healthy friendships. She writes on the Central Coast of California. More about her work can be found at artania.net
Laurie Woodward 