rusted garden gate
woven with ivy
has secrets she'll never
utter,
but no one thinks to listen
to the songs she sings
subtle little reminders of where
and how carefully to
wander here;
because there are creatures
lurking in and of the shadows
creatures that make
nightmares seem tame—
drowning in illusions of grandeur
they perceive themselves
wiser than this gate firmly steeling herself shut
they force her open,
and on their own heads be it she thinks;
they can encounter death in one of many
various ways—
there is a murder of ravens crowing,
still they push through;
paying no heed to the circling hawks and vultures
as if they had no intention of self-preservation.
Linda M. Crate's works have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies both online and in print. She is the author of five published chapbooks, a micro-chap, and a forthcoming poetry collection entitled More Than Bone Music (Clare Songsbirds Publishing House). She has a novel, also, called Phoenix Tears.