Eyes clamp shut,
but the infection spreads
through a tight mouth
and crawls down the throat.

With teeth set to bone,
a thousand complications
bubble underneath
prickly anxious skin.

Head down and blooming,
dark inertia slinks
and blurs the lines
between fear and reality.

© Nancy Botta, 2018

Her mother fans herself with her peony hat
and smiles under Magnolia shade;
the garden reception floated on
grass stained espadrilles,
polite laughter,
and endless bubbles
of white wine spritzers.

She crashed into a rose bush
like a toddling mannequin
wine glass and high heels flying
thorns snag her ill fitting dress
and mottled flesh
as she hiccups “Immmalriggght”
to the genteel crowd
lingering in the sun
with soggy canapés.

Her mother stares
beneath a wilted peony hat,
thin lips set in
burgundy and disappointment,
she leans in to her daughter
and whispers, “you’re exposed”
before she walks away
crushing rose petals
and apologies
with grass stained espadrilles.

© Nancy Botta, 2018

I can barely fathom
what you did to me-
struck down,
on my hands and knees again.

You’ve made it too complicated
for me to let go-
cowering,
you heard me sobbing for air.

I no longer belong to you
but these tremors remain-
a fist,
lodged in my third eye.

© Nancy Botta, 2018

4 a.m. woman
with too many bruises
and not enough suitcases,
she marches
through the bus depot
(children and pomegranate seeds
trailing behind her)
carrying everything
and the world on her back,
she hopes this time
is the last time she has to fight
over her expired voucher
for a one way ticket out of hell.

© Nancy Botta, 2018