Eve Rifkah
Winter
in the only way I know I sing guttural off key I never learned melody time flat sharp so sharp this pain phasing in out wax wane rain falls into ice coating each needle and twig we grow old in accumulation here at year’s birth the wait for summer longer than life longer than memory’s tale of heat there is no other way to open the heart in songsick despair the key lost in the turnings of the notes off or on listening to a passion not my own Pärt Piazolla providence for the whole and half-whole hear here in this room fractured with lost while out in the world rain drips from trees hoary with frost a rime sodden and cold drips down glazed eyes there is no way to bring this together buttons lost zippers stuck threads loosen and fall apart warp breaks weft crawls away on broken feet and empty hands the fabric stores have closed their doors no more needles pins threads notions lost no more stitches to pull together a show of remorse my hands don’t know what to do
Eve Rifkah was founding editor of the literary journal Diner and co-founder of Poetry Oasis, Inc., a non-profit poetry association dedicated to education and promoting local poets. Two books of poetry are forthcoming in 2010: Dear Suzanne, on the life of French artist Suzanne Valadon (1865-1938) (Word Tech Communications), and Outcasts, a docu-drama in verse on the Penikese Island Leper Hospital 1905-1921 off the coast of Cape Cod, MA (Little Pear Press). She is an adjunct professor of English at Fitchburg State College. She resides in Worcester, MA with her husband, musician Michael Milligan.
