Polarity or Leaving
Polarity or Leaving
Polarity or Leaving
by Jessica Doble
In winter, sunrises occur at reasonable timesso we alight to the porch—cold, puffy-eyed—blanket our pink-painted toes,share coffee and snow kisses.As we sealed vows written by men under white tufted clouds and laceher mother told us—Tailor the bridge to your dreams,your feet will meet at each end.
We find the trick isn’t opennessbut neverwhere. In the garden, hollow stalks,dried sunflowers whisper through wisped mouthsbut her bangled arms drown the words.
My wife’s mother crocheted a tea cozyfor the cracked, bluebell-crusted porcelain.She didn’t know the whiskeykept us warmer than the yarned stories.
I leave the spiced bottom rimWarmth leaking to the counterthe Santa napkin stained with red lips.
Too bad it didn’t defend against the winter silence,I tell her as we stack her suitcasesinto what is no longer ours but hers.
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Featured in our December 2021 issue, "Polar*ity"