Clandestine, a poem by Rebecca Herz at Spillwords.com
Sharon McCutcheon

Clandestine

Clandestine

written by: Rebecca Herz

@Homecoming_poet

 

no one had to know, yet somehow people knew
random friend of her mother would approach

in the local shops wishing her mazel tov
in the most kosher places and other forbidden

spaces they’d approach her smiling.
It was almost worse to receive congratulations

because one never knew whether or not
they were genuine. It was not the worst

it was not the best living in her hometown
surrounded by her angels and demons

the familiar infrastructure. Her parents’ house
from which the news eventually spread like a plague

through the city. People knew and didn’t know
what drew her to this life in the shadows

in another time with the same people
she would have been exiled or shut down

in another time with the same people
she might have been hidden away like rapunzel

in the tower of religion cursed
for her impunity, just for loving me

Rebecca Herz

Rebecca Herz

Rebecca Herz is a second-year graduate student of social work and a poet, singer-songwriter, and painter. Her book of poems is forthcoming in September 2022. She lives in New Jersey with her partner, Jordana, and her two cats, Fiona and Sebastian.
Rebecca Herz

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