Withered roses and scratched
headstones were all she saw as
she stood alone at the edge
of the entrance to the cemetery.
With the weight of her past –
and her sorrows – heavy on her
shoulders, she took off towards
the recently filled grave.
Making her way through the
crowded plots, passing grave
markers and stone statues, finally
finding the name she desired.
Standing in silence, the air stale,
every memory of their shared
moments – every smile and
touch – drifted through her mind.
For a brief, fleeting moment
as the wind rustled the autumn
leaves, she thought the faint scent
of her lover’s perfume was nearby.
A piece of her soul – the love
of her life – was buried here,
six feet beneath her, despite the
distance feeling like a million miles.
Aching and hallow to the bone,
her heart remained strong, slowly
healing, as she told their love story
to the surrounding graves.
Her whispers carried off by the wind.
Brianna Malotke is a freelance writer and member of the Horror Writers Association. Some of her most recent work can be found online at The Yard: Crime Blog, The Crypt, and Witch House Amateur Magazine. She has poems in the anthologies Beneath, Cosmos, The Deep, and Beautiful Tragedies 2. In October 2021 she has a short story, flash fiction piece, and several horror poems set to be published in various digital and print publications. Looking ahead to 2022, she has two body horror poems in the upcoming Women in Horror Poetry Showcase, “Under Her Skin,” published by Black Spot Books.
Featured Image by Florin Palamarciuc on Unsplash
