All Familiar Views

All Familiar Views

By Laura Summerville Reed


If my mind lays straight
Other times it won't
With the long highways and party bows
Glide along smooth and kudzu

Keep me safely wrapped
Safe like barbed wire
I’ll never skin these precious knees
for fear of slicing tender flesh

I reach with my palms half open
and draw them back impaled

By still frames and written rules
Certain death still comes, but slower, with all familiar views

If my façade stays tall
other times it won’t
With changes in the weather and certain shades of blue
Lean in close on high heeled brevity

Hold me tight by the clasp of fear
Pretty silver chains strung together of words and wants
Tug at the end of my wit and will
I'm trying hard to step in time to this tethered dance

If my mind lays straight
other times it won’t
With the sun streaming in on my rooms full of dust
Lock the door behind me and ask dear moon for change

©LSR 2010