“Artificial Flowers” by Claudia Anne Krizay

Artificial flowers,
Shivering in a draft,
Her hair blown about,
None but a fine wisp, tucked behind
Her ear...
All that can be heard is
The humming of the wind outside,
Spinning as the moon,
White, with the stars above.
She sits alone, affront
A round wooden table,
Somewhere and for some reason,
Inexplicable, she has
Shut the world out, and
Hangs her head,
Sideways, as she looks out
From the corner of her eyes.
She cannot see the silence,
Outside the window, as some vehicle
Has driven by, or
Perhaps the pounding of footsteps upon the
Pavement outside.
The rising of the crescent moon,
And the serenity of the night
The wind hums outside,
Artificial flowers
Tossed about in a breeze,
Wafting through the window
Blows her hair about,
Though does not dry her tears
Lost and far removed, she sails
A ship, capsized,
Not to be rescued, and drowning as
In her cupped hands she
Holds artificial flowers, with
Leaves adorning, that are
Quivering within the breeze...