Tracey Riehl and
Barbara Lynne Black

Tracey Riehl
Response

Why You Should Wear Gloves at Night
By Barbara Lynne Black
Inspiration piece

…..“Don’t give delicate children black currant jam.”
…..from The Best Way Book, No. 3., 1200 Household Hints & Recipes (1916)

Tentative mother, let them crowd your heart.
…..When they rise to the surface they are ready.
Kneel. Trace the body as a moon eclipses sun.
This is the outline.

Make little coats for nakedness. Choose ivory
so as to move in moonlight. Heavy,
so as to shield their small bones
from the season’s afflictions.

…..Press well…and straighten the fingers out neatly.
Dress. Serve them dark red berries in bowls of snow.
Wait till nothing remains but a pool of pink.

…..Take down your hair and shake it loose.
…..Stains will disappear as if by magic.

*Italicized lines from The Best Way Book, No. 3.

 

——————————————————
Note: All of the art, writing, and music on this site belongs to the person who created it. Copying or republishing anything you see here without express and written permission from the author or artist is strictly prohibited.

 

One Comment

  1. Posted July 8, 2016 at 11:33 am | #

    Thank you, Tracey, for such a great artistic interpretation of my poem. I love to look at it.