[197 words]
In the sapphire sanctity of the Ligurian Sea, I am hidden by the rocks like so many other crustaceans. Clinging to the edge of summer as I watch the wispy unraveling of the clouds. My emotions, too wild for my heart to contain. The flowers I pluck as I hike through the hills near Monesteroli, too wild to be placed in the milk glass vase.
At night, by the fire, I watch the embers dance off your skin. You are aglow with ambers and deep blues. We are creating fresh steps on old wood planks in the house on the cliff. I am stirring orecchiette and you are macerating basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and tendrils of parmesan.
I drink too much sangiovese and we tangle together under the moon in hot sheets. I think back to earlier in the day, when I was a rock lobster. Now I feel I am being brought to a slow boil. I burst – my tender, buttery flesh exposed to you. Instead of consuming me, you protect me while I stitch myself back into my carapace. I recline with your head on my heart, stroking your hair with my pincers.
Rachel Turney, Ed.D. (she/her) is an educator and artist located in Denver. Her poems, research articles, drawings, and photography can be found in a variety of publications. Rachel is passionate about immigrant rights, teacher support, and empowering other artists. She is a Writers’ Hour prize winner. Her photography can be found on a few magazine covers. The Poetry Lighthouse will publish her full-length collection Record Player Life later this year. Keep writing and please connect on socials!
