At Tether’s End

Julia Kaylock

Trust in tatters, heart-evicted
Loneliness shines vibrant purple
on my skin.
Yellow-edged black spotted memories
Here. Here. And here -
Badges of loyalty
(some would say naivety)
Worn proudly, a reminder
of embattled history
That I, nonetheless
Treat with dignity -
     - What else can I do?
Negate the years?
Burn the bridges?
Rip up the path?
Enter the void?

Stuck in the abyss
of uncomfortable presence
I ponder the witchery of time -
Shall future come?
There's another brand of Hell,
A barren soul-less place;
I have no seeds to sow,
All fruit of that last sad crop
Has withered on the vine.

Suspended in sad time
A feline enters, Stage Left,
My heart in his mouth - a fragile bird
soft-winged and beating.

I approach with care
To snatch the thing
Yet there’s a catch –
Oh! keep my heart,
It’s yours.

Julia Kaylock has worked as a journalist, features writer, web content creator, author of career texts and training programs, editor and proof reader. Having co-produced several anthologies of poetry, and with several works currently in production, including her memoir in verse called Child of the Clouds, Julia recently took the ‘biggest step of all’ and entered the publishing arena with her company, Litoria Press headed for great things. www.litoriapress.com.