Wonderland

I woke one frost fogged morning

to a staircase

coiling sideways through a lemon drop sky,

the handrail made of back-crossed whispers,

a landing made of gray tile,

shattered by the weight

of broken promises.

***

The door at the top greeted me like an old friend,

smiling in italics,

wood veneer peeling back into a perfect

white-stripped smile,

gold labeled in serifed sincerity,

we all feigned to believe

"all are welcome here"

***

I wore a dress of fractured silver glass,

each shard refracting

a different version of me, unmet.

She smiled from my hip,

wept from my shoulder,

held knives at my knees.

cut deep every time I braved

her mirrored gaze.

***

The moon dangled from strings,

a marionette illuminated by another's light,

humming lullabies in reverse,

existential tones holding

corporate hedgerows, cloned in khaki,

squares of severance,

draped in millennial manila greige,

despondent. irrelevant.

***

Butterflies floated by cracked windows,

whispering riddles the crows gave them,

in a language I almost remembered

from a dream I was never allowed to finish.

***

And love?

it wore the shadows of corners,

veiled in eclipse,

holding a blood red rose,

petals made from the missing hands of clocks,

reminding me, always, of the hour.

***

They had promised me a wonderland...

***

I fled with passed-down lace sails,

doilies nailed to the mast,

harnessing hurricanes, daring them to capsize me

with their huff and their puff.

***

I crashed my keel upon bygone shores,

where peaches grow upon palm trees,

and salt sparkles on sea-drunk lips,

***

and built it from the wreckage.

Author's Note:

Whew! We made it to the end of the challenge my friends! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't misty-eyed over here. It truly has been such a wonderful, beautiful, thrilling journey! I have so loved getting to know you all through your work and through discussion of each other's poems, seeing your inspiration and your takes on the daily prompts. I'm already planning another challenge for July!

For now though - you can submit your work to be considered for the Wonderland Anthology! I'll be choosing the best poem submitted for each of the prompts and putting together an entire book that highlights this fantastic journey together. Find all the details HERE: Wonderland Anthology Submissions

Again - thank you all so much! Cannot wait for the next!