Paula Ray is an emerging writer from Wilmington, North Carolina where she teaches music, gigs about town on her saxophone, composes and writes. Some of her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in: Word Riot, Mad Swirl, and A capella Zoo.
Spring 2009
Table of Contents - Vol. V, No. 1
Poetry Interview Translations Fiction Book Reviews
Paula Ray
A cappella
Had I lost you as a girl,
kitten purrs and blushing giggles,
I would have hidden beneath the front porch,
knelt in the sand, been your loyal mangy pet,
watching for the sight of your boots on the stairs.
Had I lost you as your bride,
still innocent and dressed in lace,
I would have tossed my veil into the sea
and followed it to a watery grave,
been your sacrifice, your Juliet, your Ophelia.
Had I lost you as the mother of your child,
my milk would have grown sour,
the cradle been still , and our infant's cries
would have drowned in the deluge
of tears pouring from my selfish eyes.
Had I lost you as an old woman,
leaning on you for each step,
relying on your sense of direction
to help me find my way home,
I would have wandered into traffic,
or been swept beneath the bridge, homeless.
I lost you in my prime, when dreams of being a mother
had faded, when my legs had grown strong enough
to stand alone, when I could see myself beyond
a vessel or a womb, when my voice was full and clear,
able to carry our song a cappella with perfect timing.
© Paula Ray
