Rachel Sandell

I feel the knocking in my head—

From inside out and loud—

It is the old man with the knife—

Chasing through my mind, head bowed.

As curtain lifts and opera shrieks—

A phantom stalks backstage—

It is the man with blade in hand—

His mouth set stone with rage.

He corners me in the back room—

With door locked and barred—

He calls to me with voice I love—

And leaves me dead and scarred.

~

Photo by Peter Herrmann on