Wednesday, September 18, 2019

#QueerBlogWed: Paula's Prompts

On July 31, 2019, P.T. Wyant posted at ptwyant.com a Wednesday Words prompt involving a loaf of bread, sun, and a corn-husk doll.

I'd never heard of corn-husk dolls before. I needed to look them up. I found this public domain picture of one, which goes along with the poem which came to me in response to this prompt...


The corn-husk doll stands in the sun
Guarding a loaf of bread
Waiting for someone to return
Unable to recall the one who abandoned her
Left her standing in the sunlight
In a silent vigil over an abandoned lunch
Wondering what happened to the owner of the table
Alone with the silence filling the kitchen
The only sound is the rustle of the field outside
The tall stalks swallow all movement, all noise
Leaving the doll to the quiet of the empty room
Faceless, unable to see the bread or anything else
Even so, she keeps watch
Waiting to a footstep to return
For a beloved shadow to block out the sun
A familar warm hand to pick her up
Listening for that one special voice

Reminding her of her forgotten name. 

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