Behind Paper Walls, by Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad

Room in New York, by Edward Hopper (USA) 1932.

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Behind Paper Walls

The time is not right
it’s never right
he’s perfected the art
of creasing time -
weeks have folded
into months
have folded into years.

it’s a pattern with him
defensive burying
of head in newspaper
every time she raises
questions of the future.

he lays down the rules -
dolling up is imperative
she fidgets, orange taffeta itching
stilettos straps biting into
bruised ankles, lithe nymph
contrast to the grotesque wife
he flees from.

he mutters, eyes glued
to the wall of paper
this time murmuring that
he intends to leave the minute
the gorgon is out of chemo.

plain duty, he clarifies
that, and the boys will both
be eight, better prepared
for his departure.

outside, the soot of New York
settles waxy upon the balcony
she counts the years
yellowed, sallow as the
wallpaper wrapping the studio.

she strikes two keys
B flat and an A
together they sound cacophonous
like letters in scarlet
like life clanging by.

Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad

Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad is a Sydney based artist, poet, and pianist. She holds a Masters in English. Oormila has exhibited her art and accompanying poetry in Kuwait, India, Singapore, and Australia. She is a member of Sydney’s North Shore Poetry Project and Authora Australis. Her recent works have been published in Red Eft Review, Glass Poetry Journal’s Poets Resist, Eunoia Review, and Underwood Press’ Rue Scribe. She regularly performs her poetry and exhibits her art at venues in Sydney.