Pieta

It’s the greasy streaks
of fingers on the trunks
of shiny cars
that keeps coming back
making me see the mother
with a child balanced
on her left hip
and groceries at her feet
reaching up.

It's a child who is told
not to touch old statues,
shown the traces
of uncaring fingertips,
then dreams
of a tearful stone woman
and always wakes, reaching.

Jennifer Christina Barnes graduated from the University of Maryland with an English degree and a concentration in Poetry/Creative Writing. She has had numerous poems and articles published both in print and online, most recently appearing in A Little Poetry. Jennifer is co-author of the e-book Skin for the Bloodless as well as Assistant Editor of the online literary magazine The Dream People, (www.dreampeople.org). She is also editor of the chapbook anthology The Best of The Dream People Poets.

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