Julia de Burgos “A carnation wedged between the wind and my own shadow” from “Poem for My Death” Ah, Julia, just you and darkness in conversation recalling the paths eschewed and the waves you rode the sea in storm Ah, Julia, stubborn island, just you and memory in rebellion rejecting the whispers of propriety and the lies that drip from the mouths of power a pen flung Ah, Julia, skipped stone, just you and distance in a dance revolving around wreckage and the flotsam of conquest little boat of paper Ah, Julia, drifting foam, just you and fumes in reverie exuded reliving the love that flared and the ash filtered by wind a dropped match
Linda Scheller is the author of two books of poetry, Fierce Light and Wind & Children. Her poetry, plays, and book reviews are widely published in journals and anthologies including Rise Up Review, Colossus: Body, and Panoply. Ms. Scheller serves on the board of Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center and programs for KCBP Community Radio. Her website is https://www.lindascheller.com.
