no flower burning the lining of her heart
not even a prayer
more of a curse
building inside the lining of her throat
inside her mind the white gown is brown from weeping
tears drown the moon
her mouth spits electric eels
skin of her face scalded
she paces the river
the sound of her body is a mourning dove
killing the night
wanting to be free of herself
she blows the wind of her weeping into the village
a painter wakes with a start
draws a scream on his canvas
sunflowers wither in night’s garden
she keeps drowning her babies
splash against mud
can never say I’m sorry
can never sleep
the mad yip of coyote is her company
thunder claps on Black Mesa
scream has turned from sunflower
to no-flower
splitting the seams
of her breasts
—
Catherine Ferguson is a poet and painter. Inspired by landscape and animals she creates watercolors, oils, retablos and poems that express her love of nature. Catherine is the author of eight chapbooks. In 2007, she received the New Mexico Book Award for The Sound a Raven Makes, with two other poets.
200 New Mexico Poems 