If you catch her at sunrise
with fistfuls of dirt
and sweat on her lips,
tell her;
the burden of planting seeds
will never be shared
by the men who plucked
all the midnight flowers
blooming in her bed.

© Nancy Botta, 2019

The final chapter of our union
tells of bone deep chagrin—
the dumb utter of
‘I feel statements’
plays itself like a mantra,
useless invocations found
in the crumpled leaflets
from the therapist’s office.

The pointed questions
from our guilty mouths
forces a sober thought through;
we felt the cold walk in
but we never felt the warmth walk out.

The silent stare between us
measures the immeasurable,
a gulf of indifference grows-
it’s time to close dead eyes,
and move on from this grave.

© Nancy Botta, 2019

Wherever I walk
one million fires
follow me.

[she is the butcher
and a weaver]

Whenever I talk
one million serpents
spill from me.

[she is the mother
and a deceiver]

My tongue is a dagger
and faithful servant,
delivering justice
to the soft throats
of holy men and traitors.

If you do not fear me
you do not fear the end,
if you cannot kill me
you cannot kill your shame.

[sacred is her wound,
for it redeems the light
with the blood of her womb.]

Nancy Botta ©2019

I tried to say
important things
like ‘I love you’
and ‘I’m sorry’
but they came out
wet
crooked
aborted—
and I just let it happen,
let them splatter
like droplets,
like shattered teeth
spat in the sink.

© Nancy Botta, 2019

The mid century outdoor sconce
I helped your wife install last summer
illuminates;
your slightly receding hairline,
5 day old stubble,
sweat stains on a blouse,
the glint of a best friend
charm on my wrist—
your forehead slick with guilt
when my arms, encircling your neck,
remind you
that we never truly cared
about all the lines we’ve crossed.

© Nancy Botta, 2019