A constellation of freckles litters sallow limbs;
evidence of sun-drenched kisses long forgotten.
In violet, memories resurface on a rainy day
as a love bite erupts from my thigh, its sting
crawling across the flesh like a carpet burn.
Itching is incommunicable.
Cancer, despite its nature, is not.
It festers in tidal pools of summer warmth,
under towelled layers of salon buff,
in the shaded words of my grief.
Rebecca Colby likes the idea of being a writer but doesn’t put pen to paper as often as she should. She travelled the world as a tour director before settling in England — a country where she knew the weather would force her inside to write.
Posted on June 7, 2009 in Other
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8 Responses to “SHADED WORDS • by Rebecca Colby”
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June 7th, 2009 at 2:40 am
Ooh, a bitter truth. We love being in the sun and don’t think about what the long-term results can be. I particulary like this:
“It festers in tidal pools of summer warmth”
June 7th, 2009 at 6:02 am
Well written, Rebecca! Merges the sensual and emotional very effectively. Nicely done!
June 7th, 2009 at 9:41 am
I enjoyed this, Rebecca.
June 7th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Well told. Sad but true account of too much fun in the sun.
–dj
June 7th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Beautifully expressed. Thanks.
June 7th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Nice contrasting elements between life and death, the use of sun as warmth and death.
Well done . . .
June 7th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Layers of meaning here, including “first you play, then you pay” but so well put.
June 10th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Thank you all for your kind and encouraging comments!