Emma Durbin
A Collection
A collection of original poems, with a refreshing variation of poetic conventions throughout. In each, Emma intersperses repetition, symbolism, and an equivocal dichotomy between the literal and figurative.
The darkness has a name
One I can’t pronounce
So I’ll just call them friend for now
The darkness has a face
One I cannot see
So for now, I’ll assume they’re pretty
The darkness has a form
One I cannot feel
So for now, I’ll whisper secrets so I believe they’re real
The darkness is my friend, but I’ve never heard them speak
But it’s ok,
The darkness will always have a companion in me
The wind whispers in my ears, humming a drummed song
Telling tales of the old
Righting all the wrongs
Whispers of little truths
Inviting new imagine
Shuddering leaves and squawking murder
Fires on the hills
Tells the story of a child
Who’s grin hold all wicked fears
Oh little lion girl with your heart of gold
Your tears of light and stories to be told
O little lion girl weep your saddened story.
Oh little lion girl when did your story get dreary.
Little Lion girl heart made of gold
Little lion girl your story must be told
Oh little lion girl you life must be lived
Little lion girl don’t just give in
Little lion girl running in the grass
Feeling the sun and snaking past
Little lion girl little did you know
That the older you was only a tale of woe.
Little lion girl you mustn’t cry.
Oh little lion girl you must hold on tight.
Little lion girl keep yourself close.
Little lion girl, I will always love you most.
I want to stay up late just tracing words I’ll never be able to say into our old wounds.
I want a soft love that loves me back.
Roots with wings
They tell us to plant our roots
Find a home within each other’s hearts
They tell us to travel
To fly together, birds of a feather
The question was always ‘what if we’re stuck forever’
The answer was usually ‘what if we’re stuck flying forever’
But darling,
We’re roots with wings.
We will never be stuck in that godforsaken town ever again