PRISONER

PRISONER

his fingertip a brush stretching
from thought to palette
to canvas

he observes an image
of past memory vague lifting into view
a tear from his eye

she is there moved from vision
to coloured sense
her scent her look her taste

the brush tip bends gently
releasing her
and she whispers his name

stares back at his face
he stretches again to lift her features
into this reality

her presence before him now
dissolving his eyes
his fingers caress her lips to open

created in his cell
she is un-gaoled
the box he opened is empty.


doughty 2008