Lisa Dalton

Issue Three

Ophelia

the courts called it drowning

without questioning where the flood came from 

how a man can lead to madness 

            once you add a few letters

her body preserved perfection encased in a glass river

skin the color of dew on morning petals

Dear O,

                        he wrote so lovingly

lay down in the water lilies 

I promise you can breathe

below–when I push your 

head under,

the world will look so 

            clean.

He promised they’d be different. 

that anger never knew his veins 

you silly girl,

this body is a vessel

a song of morality 

tuned for the player, not 

the instrument 

tender are the arms that never dare to cause a commotion 

how stars can be lilies 

white and burning

covering each of her eyes into eternity 

About Lisa Dalton
Lisa Dalton is currently located in central Florida. She teaches English at Denison Middle School under the Cambridge program. She is working on her MA in English specializing in Creative Writing at the University of West Florida.