el corazon lento : the slow heart

note: written while on a recent trip to Mexico, and on the aquasition of a beautiful piece of art; a linolium print of a snail with a human heart instead of a shell, with roses growing from the ventricles, illustrating the phrase “el corazon lento”, meaning “the slow heart” or “I am faithful to you”. ~acb

…

There are thorns in my heart that do not bleed.

The unsure opening of the spiraled shell, hesitant beat of the absence exposed.

Breathe sea salt and sour rosehips, petals thick in laboring lungs.

I grow small and prickly roses for you, here—

here in this little wild garden by the questioning sea.

The gentle slime of knotted kelp and probing snails shall not deter me.

The crumbling cliff softly thunders.

The soil is faithful to the slow-growing rose.

…

© 2019 Anna-Christina Betekhtin, All Rights Reserved.