Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Annaliese and Perdita



.
Huddling’s a reflex reaction to lack
with too many possible meanings to crack:
just try to imagine what leans and presses,
.
besieges and stresses, assuages and messes
with these two sisters, Perdita and Annaliese,
whom you see huddling here. Do they
.
huddle against a fear, the cold, a painful
memory? – do they huddle toward hopes
of love? Do they huddle about who lost
.
a glove – or where they should go for lunch?
Annaliese means “graced with God’s bounty.”
Perdita means “lost.” Whose soul belongs
.
in the happier county? Whose soul can’t
meet the cost? As you watch this tight-knit
bunch of two: the serenely golden girl,
.
and the frazzled hag in blue, we bet you’ve
got more than a hunch. And of course you do.
Most sensible folk would agree with you.
.
But Annaliese and Perdita brim with surprise.
They’re working out lies to cover their plans
to murder their dad, and to murder their
.
mother, too (in disguise). Oh, and Annaliese,
in blue, is the fun one – not Perdy, in gold:
she’s a shrew. Ha! And you thought you knew.
.
.


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