Tracy Darling
Widow Mother
I freed myself from her tangled web, strands
of guilt anchoring me to childhood.
Mesmerized, I turn her over in my mind
confirming the delicate, deadly red hourglass on her belly.
All these years and still I swipe at invisible lines pulling me
back, fearful of her bite.
Bio
Tracy Lynn Darling ditched the Southern accent on the side of the runway years ago, but carries around a little bit of Southern sass in her right index finger and uses it from time to time. She's been hiding out in the suburbs of Southern California cleverly disguised as a soccer Mom with three child-actors in the back of her mini-van. Her writing has appeared or is forthcoming in Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, The Tower Journal, Heavy Bear, Global Graffiti Magazine, PMS:PoetryMemoirStory, Maintenant, Psychic Meatloaf, Red River Review, Rapid River Arts Magazine, Up the Staircase, Summation III, San Diego Writers Ink Anthology Volume IV, and Because I Said So: Poems on the Happiness and Crappiness of Parenthood. Her poem, "Offering Up the Main Course," was chosen as the First Place Winner in Rapid River Arts Magazine's 14th Annual Poetry Contest 2011. You may contact Tracy at tracydarling.thewriter@gmail.com.