top of page

The Other Side

Will it hurt much? she asks

It’s a few drops by mouth, mom.

It won’t hurt

I’m ready

She opens her mouth like a baby bird

We hold hands, quiet together


I’ll contact you from the other side, she says

OK, how will I know it’s you?

She looks to the window

It will be a queasy feeling, she says

Queasy? I don’t want queasy. I want butterflies and puppies.

She smiles, closes her eyes, drifts back to sleep




After she’s gone,

After tending to death and details,

I fly to warmer weather

Familiar trails and beaches comfort me, exactly the rest I need


Three days in a row, my stomach aches

The first day, I look out over the blue sea

It must be the time change


The second day, I marvel at the white sandy shore

It must be something I ate


On the third day, I hike to the highest view of the island

I pause, hand on an uneasy stomach


A yellow butterfly flits by

A rollercoaster of sunshine, a sine wave of butter

Then a blue butterfly outlined in black

They dance in mid-air

Rest on a branch, wings open and close, a slow greeting

They float along with me,

Then flap away with my ache




About the Author

Linda Castronovo lives and writes in western Massachusetts, ancestral land of the Nipmuc and Pocumtuck People. She makes her home with her husband, a yellow lab, a black cat, and a dozen chickens on a tiny hobby farm with fruit trees, berry bushes, and too many weeds. Nature is still a daily wonder.

1 Comment


stephanieshafran
stephanieshafran
Aug 09, 2022

Linda,

what an exquisitely poignant and tender poem! Thanks for sharing it here!

Like

Get Published in Starry Starry Kite

We accept all forms of art work and short pieces of

Memoir, Fiction, and Poetry.

Inspire Us!

Because beauty in all forms is salve for the soul.

logo 1 blue.png

Join our mailing list to get every issue.

Thanks for subscribing!

Read More on Starry Starry Kite

bottom of page