by Brenda-Lee Ranta

Eulogy

Image: “The Old Paper Mill” by Denise Sedor. “Eulogy” was written by Brenda-Lee Ranta for Rattle’s Ekphrastic Challenge, June 2020, and selected as the Artist’s Choice.

Cataracts in my mindhave shielded me fromrecalling clearly the hours

my old metal lunch pailstuffed with soggy breadwrapped in waxed paper,with stained fingers thatwith stained fingers thatbrought sustenance to mydry mouth, gnarled leather

a million breaths, countlessheartbeats are still wafting upthrough your smoke stacksI cannot recall the colour ofthe skies beyond the rooftopthe skies beyond the rooftopwhere I sold my life for a buck

my crooked bones rememberevery moment I gave to you;my mind blurred by your image.