Aletha Irby
mother
extinguishing the candles
relinquishing you to
counterpane's embrace
the bracing arena
your mother the only one
who cared that you rest
and resting dream
while her fleet and fleeing fingers
across the keyboard
in reveille
before the sun arose
invoked you
shell-shocked
as if from the dead
saw to it that you cease
from dreaming
Bio
Aletha Irby is very grateful to have been granted this time, on this planet, to spend with the English language.