New Poetry by Karen Pape

Winterlude

She has written her way out of the dark.

Dazzled by the sun, she wants to run

Hiding is not an option any more

Building words into art is digging dirt

Tearing nails and hands, understanding

She has written her way out of the dark

To some purpose.  Apprentices find work

At a master or mistress’ hand.  When

Hiding is not an option any more

she finds her tools already forged

by her journey underground

She has written her way out of the dark.

Like Persephone she will return

To winter, seek quiet in dead ground.

Hiding is not an option any more.

Even cold, she will remember lessons learned.

Her talismans the book, candle, pen.

She has written her way out of the dark.

Hiding is not an option any more.

- Karen Pape 2016

Karen Bingham Pape is a teacher and writer.  Her poems have appeared in small press publications such as Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review and Maverick Press and in on-line journals such as Big River Review, Red River Review, Words-Myth and Perigee. She has read her work at conferences such as Southwestern ACA/PCA Pop Culture, ASU Annual Writers Conferences in Honor of Elmer Kelton, and Fort Concho Literary Festival.