At the Alt[e]r
by Ellen Malphrus
Do not sing of angels falling—
I have seen them crawling here.
I have watched them kiss their wingtips,
standing firm as they are sheared.
Felt the snips go falling, fading—
swirling whispers of regret.
clippings come to rest in baskets—
petals strewn along the net.
Come down now, you wingless angel,
through the aisle and captured be.
As he lifts your veiled protection,
close your eyes; you are not free.
Happy, happy, all the party—
let them laugh who will not see.
Ellen Malphrus is the author of the novel Untying the Moon and the poetry collection Mapmaking with Sisyphus. Her work can be found in dozens of publications, including Chariton, Atlanta Review, Weber, Poetry South, James Dickey Review, Blue Mountain Review, Natural Bridge, Southern Literary Journal, William & Mary Review, Fall Lines, Yemassee, Haight Ashbury, and Catalyst. She is Writer-in-Residence at USC Beaufort and divides her time between the marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry and the mountains of Western Montana.