Marigold
By Lorelei Bacht
The night the boys met on the porch,
The sky was full of stars.
They waited to grow old enough,
With teacups and owl songs.
Let’s keep our eyes open, he said,
We may see fireflies.
Sound of a band playing downtown -
Soon they were sound asleep.
Upstairs, Marigold dreamed: she had
A new pony to ride.
Another dream: she saved the boys
From a terrible flood.
The alarm bell - It rang and rang.
Down the steps they all ran.
Something leaping in the moonlight
A hint, a possible.
They did not know what they wanted
But felt compelled to run.
It was one jump ahead of them,
Always ahead, then gone.
They all went back into the house
For the rest of the night.
Soon they fell back asleep, having
Decided the case solved.
Lorelei Bacht (she/they) is a European poet who recently started writing again after moving to Asia, welcoming two beautiful children and failing two marriages. Her recent work can be found and/or is forthcoming in OpenDoor Poetry, Litehouse, Visitant, Quail Bell and The Wondrous Real. She is also on Instagram: @lorelei.bacht.writer and @the.cheated.wife writes.