A BRUISED FOOT SOLE

Plump, rufous bruise on a newborn
sole, Autumn's stain on Spring
freshly sprung, this was the first of
a plethora of maternal gifts to 
discord's own spawn.

Livid, rusty stripes an earthly Angel
on pureness marked, infant bones
hollowed ere they could form, 
her spirit crippled, ere her 
first steps she took.

Her fifth Winter set in with the
taste of blood, curses of death
coursed through her veins,
eyeless phantasms haunted 
her dreams, chilled 
this child's soul.

Fervent prayers she e'er uttered
for beauty, childhood's Seasons
echoed with red-rimmed beseeching,
a gift ne'er to be vouchsafed this
plaything of Fate.

Her blood intoned the dirge her
heart commenced with its first beat.
Unswerving she followed the death
march embarked on with her
first steps.

Final deliverance she from myriad
grim maledictions fashioned, last
invocation wrested from her throat
half uttered. 

To Eternal Spring tho' now gone,
formless she wanders, nursing a
ghost of a bruise on her
left foot sole.

© 2014 Lily's Verse
Lilium Candidum

Image source: www.pablopicasso.org

'Blue Nude'

Artist: Pablo Picasso