Backstage, waiting for her mystic
illusionist to cut her in half
she peers inside his black top hat
expects to pinch his hidden magic
dark like famous boxed chocolates
touting his sweet savory secrets.
Instead, she finds a cooing dove
curled like angel wrapped in silk
an emerald rabbit
nibbling on tarot card,
a flipped over magus nudging
her hand towards astronomy.
Disillusioned by fame’s flickering light
yearning for a different adventure
she turns away from last curtain call
tips his enigmas onto the floor
then vanishes inside herself
where heaven parts and tarnished stars
still cartwheel before her eyes.
Debbie Okun Hill is a Canadian poet with over 240 poems published or pending in over 100 publications/websites including The Binnacle, THEMA, and Mobius in the United States and Descant, Vallum, The Windsor Review, Other Voices, and Existere in Canada. Black Moss Press will be publishing her first trade book this spring 2014. http://blackmosspress.com/debbie-okun-hill/
© 2014, Debbie Okun Hill
Halfway Down the Stairs 