Tape by Elzabeth Hipwell

  

Tape and slips of paper,
holding life precariously,
(thread by thread).
It can come loose or remain steady.
Layers are bound to one another
in such a way as to be easily split wide open.
Life can exist within the leaves of paper,
hanging tight
or roughly peeled off--
(torn in pieces).
My life is very fragile
(vulnerable).
I need tape and glue to hold it together,
to keep my insides from being swept away.
I want decorative paper for beauty,
old photos for memories,
and adhesives for cohesiveness of thought.

-Image & Words by Elizabeth Hipwell-

BORN IN by Therese Staples Burton

The pain was born in me the day of my conception.
The spark of energy that gave birth to my soul 
     carried the grief of the unloved.
Deep in the darkness of the womb was a 
     juxtaposition of insecurity and warmth
I grew, rocked gently surrounded by protective waters.
Cradled in a soft silky microcosm.
Sounds carried by encompassing fluids 
     taught me of the world outside.
The beat of an anguished heart shook the walls of my world.
Ripples in the water vibrated with anxiety and fear.
War between hope and despair, joy and anger 
     played out in the bloodstream of my host.
The blood surging through my newly formed veins carried the rage transferred from mother to child.
Through the placental barrier it crossed from 
     one generation to the next.
Planting the rage of an unloved child deep into the center of my soul.
My first tears flowed from eyes that had yet to be opened.
Pain raced on networks of nerves causing me to cry out.
In silence my screams shook the very walls that held me.
Shock waves lapping against my skin caressing.
Lulling me to a deep sleep to escape screams echoing in the dark.
Behind closed eyes dreams beckoned to me,
Promises of maternal love, butter soft kisses,
Gentle voices to sing lullabies in my ears.
Sensations of security and warmth 
    shatter with the reality of being unwanted.
Without words the knowledge burned my newborn soul.
To this day I carry the pain born in me the day of my conception.
-Image & Words by Therese-