Quicksand

Quicksand

written by: Julia R. DeStefano

@J_DeStefano

From breakfast to lunch through nightmare, I trudge along –
here I sleep, here I cry in a barren landscape –
my hands empty in this division of parts,
lonely for something to touch –
fingers to dance with mine
in hunger that I own.
These days are a drag.
Whisper that you love me –
words floating on the breeze to meet my ears, my lips –
carried along rays of sunlight,
the comforts of moonlight
to land in my aching heart.
I am a prematurely closed volume,
forced onto a shelf too small.
A woman wondering how God could sleep through this
as she awaits hope to swim back to her.
Dreaming of love like a life jacket –
a blanket to be swathed and soothed within.
Unafraid to admit fear in this, the Devil’s playpen,
where there are far too many unknowns that scald.
To whatever’s pulling the marionette strings of My America-
take from me my lot of possessions,
these things I have only pretended to own.
Chisel away at my mind, body, and soul if you must.
But don’t take our capacity for touch –
my salvation from quicksand.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

There’s an element of “prolonged social distancing” that we’re not yet discussing, but we will: the loneliness epidemic — and I’ll wager that it’s equally as deadly to the human body, mind, and spirit. This is when we learn what we value, who we cannot be without, and who or what we need to move towards in order to maintain truth in a Twilight Zone-d reality. I pray that one of those things is me.

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Julia R. DeStefano

AUGUST 2021 AUTHOR OF THE MONTH at Spillwords.com

Julia R. DeStefano is a confessional poet who captures moments to preserve them in the glistening amber of language. She is a woman driven by love and healed by intimacy whose writing paints vivid pictures of darkness and sensuality. Julia's poetry collection, 'Leave Everything,' was published in 2016 and reached #11 in "Poetry by Women" at Amazon. Her latest release, 'Whirling Into Flame,' was published in December 2020. Julia's writing has been hailed as teetering on the "razor's edge of reason and passion." It unapologetically challenges perceptions. Her poem, "The Sands," was chosen as a Featured Post by Medium curators. She is regularly published on SpillWords, and due to readership and popular vote, her Spotlight interview received their "Publication of the Month" award in June 2020. Julia's words and photographs have appeared in local and national publications. She is a lifetime New Englander who draws on the urban and rural vistas for her inspiration. Look for this Red Queen atop her throne of books.

Latest posts by Julia R. DeStefano (see all)

• Top Down - August 31, 2022
• Sometimes, an Enchantress - February 4, 2022
• Interview Q&A With Julia R. DeStefano - September 16, 2021