REGENERATION

Artist: Bobbie
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REGENERATION

This is a collaboration with the wonderfully talented writer bellmusker for the witheringmoon “Secret Place” competition. This is my first collaboration and it has been such a privilege to work with belmusker. Thanks also to witheringmoon for encouraging the visual and written artists to collaborate, I hope to have the opportunity again.

I really wanted to have the Poem on the image but it’s difficult to read at this size so here it is:

REGENERATION

I almost touched someone today
Almost
I heard her skateboard clack along the footpath
and I hated her
for the freedom it allowed

She didn’t see me
They rarely do
The leaves of this holly bush
shield my porch from the street
and so much more

I sit here all day
Safe with blood red berries
and sharp pointed leaves
“Dark and spiky” he once laughed
“just like you”

I knew I was healing
after two years of stale air
when I drew a ragged breath
and dragged the chair
to the light of this porch

The air from out here
feels like honey on my skin
I catch the words that float across
and try to remember
how they felt in my mouth

The wheels of her skateboard
sang defiant down the street
and when a breeze chose
to send her cap across to me
it felt like a gift

It swung loosely on a leaf point
and my hand
braver than my heart
reached out to unhook it
You could barely see the shaking

A grunt of thanks
and her song continued
I sat with my honey air
and blood red berries
and shook

I almost spoke to someone today
Almost.