Hesitant by Keana Labra

Hesitant

This is the betrayal, at long last,
it being welcome for the exchange 
of freedom’s lips, always out of reach.

Kissing our thumbs for good luck,
off into the ether, but I remained
for good measure, is a thought

Truths are shared in reticence
regret beats senselessly,
and I its victim.

We analyze possibilities with nostalgia
impossible standards, I needed another reason,
relaying itself as this room stares blankly:
shoes, aligned, tidy and pristine
never missing a piece,
all is where it belongs:

where do I,
where do I,
where do I?
Falling into the looking glass
deception weaving a basket of my heart strings,
she croons, “it could be better,”

does she lie? “this is worse,”
as I convince myself otherwise,
and hoping I am light enough to float:

I am not,
I am not,
I am not.

Keana Labra was born and raised in the Bay Area, California. Her work appeared in the January 2018 and February 2018 issues of the now defunct journal, The Aoi Kuma. One may also find her literary reviews and artist interviews on the online publication, Chopsticks Alley. She was recently accepted as a regular contributor to the Royal Rose Magazineand Rose Quartz Magazine. Knowing the importance of representation, she would like her work to be evidence that Filipino Americans are also present in the literary and art world. She uses her experiences as reference for her poetry.

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