From the Shadows, the Cold Air Comes
by Conan Power
In the dead of dawn,
a chair rocks empty,
threads of a favourite blanket
unravel, throwing frayed secrets to the floor.
A kettle's lament fills the kitchen,
whistles curling into silence,
as steam settles inside the glass
that frames a hollow garden.
And clinging to each wall,
our sepia ghosts, frozen,
with eyes that follow me
all through the hollow rooms.
I found your watch today,
hands still clasped around our last goodbye,
the time stopped
at the hour we last spoke.
Neighbours pass with casseroles,
practiced sympathies frail as frost,
words fluttering like moths
against the porch light.
Night descends with a velvet shroud,
and from the shadows, the cold air comes,
floating traces of that perfume you wore,
from a blouse still swaying on the line.
I reach out,
grasp only the brittle air,
from the space where you once breathed.
a chair rocks empty,
threads of a favourite blanket
unravel, throwing frayed secrets to the floor.
A kettle's lament fills the kitchen,
whistles curling into silence,
as steam settles inside the glass
that frames a hollow garden.
And clinging to each wall,
our sepia ghosts, frozen,
with eyes that follow me
all through the hollow rooms.
I found your watch today,
hands still clasped around our last goodbye,
the time stopped
at the hour we last spoke.
Neighbours pass with casseroles,
practiced sympathies frail as frost,
words fluttering like moths
against the porch light.
Night descends with a velvet shroud,
and from the shadows, the cold air comes,
floating traces of that perfume you wore,
from a blouse still swaying on the line.
I reach out,
grasp only the brittle air,
from the space where you once breathed.
Conan Power is a writer from rural Ireland whose work delves into themes of nature, life, and the mysteries of the universe. Previously published in The Waxed Lemon and Déise Anthology: New Voices, Conan's evocative prose reflects his deep connection to the Irish landscape. He is currently completing his debut novel, set in a magical Celtic underworld, drawing richly from Irish folklore and customs to weave a tale of suspicion, wonder and tradition.