Homeland

Fotoula Reynolds

I take my fevered anihos to
The listening tree, where
By the creek, I sit under
Foliage that low hangs
On a mighty Blackwood

Above me, the birdfeeder
Swings in melancholy time
Seeds glow in my garden
And red finches chirp of 
A love that is not forbidden

The dark bark is humming
I’d bury my sorrow alive
But my sorrow has bones, so
I hold my grief close to brace
Myself for the expected

In the blink of God’s eye
Hidden from village giants
I tremble where I fall
Alone in the dirt
A cruel gift of obscurity

*anihos is the Greek meaning for anxiety

Fotoula Reynolds is a writer of poetry, born in Australia of Greek heritage. She lives in the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria and finds inspiration in the nature that surrounds her. She convenes a poetry reading group in her local community and regularly attends and participates in spoken word events in and around the city of Melbourne. She is the author of three poetry collections and is published in four Australian anthologies. Fotoula is a 2019 Pushcart Prize nominee.