Coming home
for the first time
on my street in Richmond, Virginia.
Turning off of Riverside,
the last of the fallen angels soften
my ascent: blazing
golden Ginko leaves.
I’m up here on the second floor painting my room with Blue Lace.
decorating an altar.
creating a place.
From these new windows
where I look out at sycamore trees and green rain,
Where I hear the westbound train,
I find the woman I’ve been looking for.
She startles me,
stronger than I knew before, bedrock and fire at her core.
Merenda Cecelia 