Blood on her Safety Net

by Theresa Lavelle
(Scotland)

When the dust fell
thick and fast
into her life
she stopped to wonder
why the holes
unfilled
never felt like pain

It took twelve hours
to rinse his stains
from his last word
to stop the word
crumbling

and the blood of losing him
and the cry of a butterfly
the shadows streaming onto you
of everything you ever wanted
or felt
with him

Safety nets loose their string
courage luminates
her golden syrup
this new freedom
without his chain