Marooned By Memory
written by: Fotoula Reynolds
She holds on to her suitcase
And hums the names of
The women in her family
Like a lost prayer
She carries them inside her life
People stumble over her name
Try to guess it, speed reading is
A sham and a turn-off
Say her name with heart
Right or wrong she will see you
She feels surrounded but always alone
She looks at her hands
Old times there are not forgotten
She learns to love her nervous laughter
That sinks into silence like boards
Splintering beneath the kitchen floor
The wood is shot full of holes and
Polished, always polished
But no one bothered to keep the grass alive
Not even rain that falls without end
Or any riverbed stone can pardon
The storms that leave her marooned by memory
Fotoula Reynolds
Fotoula Reynolds is a writer of poetry, born in Australia of Greek heritage. She lives in the Dandenong Ranges in southern Australia. She convenes a poetry reading group in her local community and regularly attends and participates in spoken word events in and around the city of Melbourne. She is the author of three poetry collections and is published widely in anthologies, journals, reviews and magazines. Fotoula is a 2019 Pushcart Prize nominee.
Latest posts by Fotoula Reynolds (see all)
- Captive - March 23, 2022
- Carpet of Stars - June 14, 2021
- Christmas Floats - December 23, 2020
