Artwork by Ira Joel
How could you not be captivated
by her bohemian chic
and dirty bare feet,
voice chanting with sounds
borrowed from our unrecorded past.
She is offering a new branch—
a divergent history
and antediluvian caresses.
Kneel with her a moment,
let her lips press your human vestiges
and her hands remove
stain and defeat.
You bathe in wet earth,
unbecoming yourself
spilling the last illness
into her forgiving lap.
Now try to look at her once more.
Her clothing conceals nothing.
Her feet glide over intangible soil.
~ Richard King Perkins II
Richard King Perkins II is a state-sponsored advocate for residents in long-term care facilities. He has a wife, Vickie and a daughter, Sage. He is a three-time Pushcart nominee and a Best of the Net Nominee whose poems are forthcoming in ‘Broad River Review’, ‘The William and Mary Review’ and ‘The Louisiana Review’.
