It was the panther
she reached for.
My mother gave it to her.
Before she took her first breath
it bit her
in her cradle, in besotted arms,
no protection afforded (VISA’s terms
of use) from shadowed purity
from fatal slumber.
It took her a way
and then away.
The way back was a narrow gate,
blood of the Immortal in the mortal
through whom she found her freedom.
Doing cartwheels
on a blade, she lives,
a trust unbroken,
bless that day.
GirlieOnTheEdge's Six Sentence Story ("Visa") and Shay's Word Garden List ("purity," "mortal," "blade," "cartwheels")
Dreams from a Pilgrimage 
oh what a picture of death
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It actually made me think immediately of the first death, a murder by a brother of his brother, Cain and Abel. In Genesis 4:10, “The LORD said, ‘What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.'”
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Ah good connection to Cain and Abel
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A bit scary
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This is an interesting tale. I especially like the closing, “doing cartwheels on a blade”…..intriguing.
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Wow, this is something, Dora! First off, the art is truly amazing. I am not familiar with the artist, but that first image is genuinely terrifying, and the second depicts a counterbalancing sense of peace and calm. I had to read your poem three times before it began to come together for me, and when it did, i felt as if I’d entered a room i know well. A curse laid before the first step is taken, and then, a gate out, and at the same time in–to an undreamt of different life. Or so I read. It’s a poem of redemption.
–Shay
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well, that’s a rather wicked read, sound like a crib death near-miss, sounds like the grim reaper changed his mind… bless that day indeed. i agree with sherry, i liked that cartwheel on blade line. great use of the word list.
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Such an amazing red death painting .
Thanks Anita
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Superb imagery!
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Such a powerful poem, Dora. Chilling and vivid. I love the truth-telling way you speak it:
“It took her a way
and then away.”
Love the element of gothica in your writes lately! 🙂
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I agree with all the comments above. Your poem achieves such a mood, you evoke such trauma and then such redemption. It’s powerfully written.
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Doing cartwheels on a blade — it can open up new worlds 🙂
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Indeed. 🙂
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doomed from the beginning, but an immortal grace with that bite… ? The imagery is so horrifying in the beginning – both done by the same artist. Interesting!
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Evocative poem, Dora.
And so well paired with the art you have chosen-I find no surprise those two artworks are from the same artist; light and darkness equally explored.
“…a way…and then away…” !!!
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I especially liked this stanza: “The way back was a narrow gate,
blood of the Immortal in the mortal
through whom she found her freedom.” May we all find our ways back through that gate.
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There’s no other way. Thank you, Frank.
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A powerful poem, stunning artwork, and a good reminder of salvation, all effectively presented.
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I can only add my admiration, anything else would be superfluous.
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Very generous of you, thanks, Mimi.
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The painting, your words have created such a deep, magical poem. Beautiful writing.
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Susie, What a generous comment! And so greatly appreciated. Thank you. 🙏🙂
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