Issue Seven - March 2004

Mama, Please

By Colleen Smith Armstrong

the waves
crest in my head
spilling out of my ears
as i sleep.
broken light through leaves
flapping pages in the wind

please don't wake me
away from that
and into this sorrow

mama
sometimes
i just can't
anymore

the damage
the danger
of each day

sometimes
i just can't

please
don't wake me

leave me with Neruda
and the wide bright sky

©2004 Colleen Smith

Colleen Smith Armstrong was raised on Lopez and is thrilled to still be a part of our vibrant community. She is editor of The Islands' Weekly and a freelance book critic for Seattle Weekly. She can be spotted in and around the island doing her favorite activities: dancing, writing, and reading.

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