(heart, author’s collection)
~~♥~~
In the purlieu of her heart
From child’s first glimpse until
Last, her mother was a rebus—
Prideful woman, never frowzy
Yet her features created
Coded pictures which sent
Messages seemingly mixed
Intentionally unclear, obviously cruel
(Italicized critical humiliation, disgust)
Beginning with precisely defined
Eyebrows that might signal
Disbelief, censure, mocking
Contempt, derision…
And steel-blue eyes, winter ice
Conveying phrase, “looks could kill”
Strained control of nerve-snapping
Narrow-eyed glint’s silent screech
“I wish you’d never been born”—
Her nostrils flared frequently
Anger, superiority unequivocal…
Lips, once alluring, transformed
Into lipstick’d thin tight line, bitter
Outrage at curves life had thrown…
This puzzle, “mother”
Never solved by daughter
Who had most needed her
Love, close attention…
Lost, frightened, the girl
Would hazard glance, holding
Breath, fearful of speaking
And try to fit pieces of curt
Syllables…assorted spoken
Unspoken, half-spoken words…
She saw chiseled in stony face—
Which, grimacing, had pushed her
Out of the womb, as far away
As she could without risking
Allegations of abandonment—
How in Heaven or Hell could
Such a portrait emerge that
Wouldn’t cripple child who
Even at the end, phoned her
Mom at nine each morning
When she knew the woman
Would be having coffee, toast
While tolerating clingy loyalty
Of such calls which begged
Beneath polite chatter, for
Connection withheld all her life…
Nearing 70, child’s mute tears ask:
“Why couldn’t you love me?”
©Leyde Ryan, 2022 ~ All rights reserved.
Rebus–A puzzle where you decode a message consisting of pictures representing syllables and words
Perlieu–An outer adjacent area of any place
Hourglass Poetry 
Fantastic writing especially including the prompts 🙂
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Thanks very much.
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