Smothered – Anna Tewson

 

Smothered

 

The door rumbles

as voices ascend

Casting shadows

through the cracks

The sun tosses it open

flooding the waiting room.

A silhouette awaits

inviting me into

the sun bleached office.

 

Within the room

A framed image

A strangler

Fig

Roots binding

host within

Winding up the trunk

Thickening as it

strengthens

Stretching beyond

Soaking sunlight

Inside the chamber

the tree

rots

 

Below the image

the silhouette waits

‘Sit.’

 

The chair too big

My ever-shrinking frame

consumed by

sticky leather

Armrests

begin creeping,

latching on

Shallow breath

Pounding core

The roots

they weave

tightening

Swallowing my chest.

 

Sinking

Unable to control

Mind incoherent,

body entombed.

 

Evening Whispers

 

The ball of weight

finds its place

At the top of his head

pressing down

It moves his eyelids

The city lights flashing

on and off

 

Manipulated

A puppeteer

pulling strings

A little less serotonin here.

 

His limbs droop over

the aching deck chair

Like the branches out front

Lifeless until they are

woken

 

The branches stir

Their fingers twitching

Imitating movements

of a force,

invisible

 

The sticky summer afternoon

turns to a blustery eve

as hot air rises

Forming

impenetrable clouds

They rumble and

squawk.

 

A startling array

of nature’s fireworks

A flash,

shortly after,

a crack

The branches thrust

to life.

Lightning charges

The roots

A surge of energy

Throbbing through

Its core.

 

The ball of weight

morphs into a being

of lightness

It travels

down his neck

along his spine

Reaching his stomach

where warmth resides.

 

He stretches

the heaviness

evaporating

The sky clears

The smell of eucalyptus

cuts through the damp

the dank

He hangs over the balcony

His laughter penetrates

the city hum.

Anna Tewson

Anna Tewson is studying writing at Macquarie University. She writes poetry and short stories, and enjoys blending elements of the metaphysical with the real. Anna aspires to use the skills learned in her degree to open an all-inclusive space for the public, in which they can tell new and different stories through writing, drama and music.

Author: Anna Tewson

Anna Tewson is studying writing at Macquarie University. She writes poetry and short stories, and enjoys blending elements of the metaphysical with the real. Anna aspires to use the skills learned in her degree to open an all-inclusive space for the public, in which they can tell new and different stories through writing, drama and music.

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