My Witch

With her red hair in wild wisps behind her, screeching in my ears And my small hands unable to block the sound, no water around To melt her down, the bony fingers and claws begin pulling her Out of the dark of night through the narrow window, Waking me from my sleep with a pounding chest And I crawl quickly from the twin bed Race silently down the splintered wood stairs To where my breath is no longer visible. Lamplight from the living room Tries to make its way down the hall But is severed by the cold darkness And I stand, a bare foot mess of blonde hair, Half in dark and half in light The line between fear and hope, Rubbing the tears from my eyes, Calming my little heart in the half light. In the cloth covered rocking chair my mother sat Like me half in light and half in darkness With a fraying yellow blanket wrapped around her Smoke from her Winston curling into the air, The ice in the glass whirling as she brought it to her red lips.