By Brianna Malotke
From this cage of fingers
deeper and darker
she cast his ashes
carried off by the wind,
dispersed amongst
the fallen leaves,
clinging to damp greenery.
The crisp fall air
and recent
rainfall
made this moment eerily peaceful.
She stayed still.
There was no blame,
no more arguments
or hostile moments.
His not so innocent ashes
scattered across the graves
of others who had been knocked
around one too many times.
Those who too had shared his last name.
She stood alone at the edge
and waited for the emptiness
of the vase,
of her feelings,
to be realized.
All alone she stood.
At the edge of the graveyard,
she stayed for a bit.
Being alone with her thoughts,
she knew the others would be
proud of her secret.
When she left, he would stay
for all eternity.
(Bio: Brianna Malotke is a freelance costume designer and writer based in Illinois. While most of her writing is research based and travel related, she loves writing spooky short stories and creepy poetry. With a love for horror movies and mystery novels, she enjoys using poetry as a creative outlet. In any spare time she has outside of working, watching crime shows, and reading, she enjoys boxing and keeping a sewing related blog. She will be a Writer in Residence at the Chateau d’Orquevaux in Orquevaux, France in 2022.)
Brianna’s website:https://brimalotke.wixsite.com/malotkewrites