Conventional Passions by Amanda Barlow

The plants need watering

but have sprouted all the same

a little thicket on the shelves we made

casting wild shadows in the lamplight

 

We had conventional passions

but in the dark soil of my body

no seeds have taken

there will be no making hand shadows with children

 

It’s tempting to seek fault

for nothing taking root

after all, a  buddleia will grow out of

a bare brick wall with no signs of others near by

 

That we’ve made so little together

curls up with us as we wind around each other

in the darkness

wishing we could sleep it away

 

Amanda Barlow