Two Sisters

Once upon a time

There were two sisters

Twins

Identical in many ways

they loved to sing loved to dance

loved to explore the outdoors together

They loved one another very much

One day they both fell ill

It started with a cough, they were put to bed

But soon blood began to spill

from their mouths onto their open hands

staining their white gowns red

In desperation, their parents sought

A cure for their beloved twins

But no cure could be found

only a few feeble suggestions

It was said that perhaps the airs of the mountains

would do a world of good for the

Young one’s lungs

But also they heard that the airs of the forests

rich with the breath of plants

might be the only place to heal the girls

Unsure of what to do

they decided with heavy hearts

To send one girl to each place, in hopes of a cure

The girls had to part

Neither found health in mountains nor forests

they continued growing weaker

longing for the comfort of each other,

the sisters spent a great deal of time outdoors

as they had when they were

always together

One day

the same day

each sister ventured out and came to a lake

one was cold with patches of ice

the other warm and covered in plants

they both looked in

and gazed at their sisters face in the water

So happy to see one another

they leaned closer

and so weakened by their sickness

they fell

Water covered them, slowly creeping over their faces

Water filled their lungs

They died in peace

a faint smile on their lips

and a glint of life

captured in water

reflected in their eyes

Later when their parents were asked to identify the bodies

neither could say which girl was which

These are the paintings I had up for crit when my teacher told me I loved "beautiful corpses" hehe. I wrote this story after I painted them. I am taking Poetry class right now to fulfill a writing intensive requirement. We have to write a poem a week and are reading a lot of poetry. I have been so inspired by some of the poems our teacher has us read. Recently we read "The Book of Frank", by CA Conrad, a local poet. They are very weird, disturbing, funny, and sad. I just LOVE this book. It inspired me so much, and I have been writing quite a lot lately. I think Conrad has given me the courage to write freely and not worry about things sounding silly or strange. The funniest thing, Conrad grew up close to where I live in the country and used to sell flowers on the highway exit where I get off every time I drive home from school. I want to meet him someday, go to a reading, he is in NY right now but hopefully he comes back soon. Here are some of his poems from The Book of Frank I wanted to share;

"Frank makes

sores on

the wall

with a

hammer

he kisses them

strokes them

"I'm sorry!" he

says "I'm sorry!"

"Frank knows a
butterfly
who wonders
about her old
caterpillar
friends"

"May
flowers
Frank shuts
his legs
but
music
seeps
through"

Only a few of so many good ones, there are longer ones too. If you are interested here is his blog, http://caconrad.blogspot.com/