Barbed Wire

how do you reconcile the feminist icon who forgave her cheating husband  

the brilliant academic who taught you what it was to be a mother

sing her praises 

to the mountains

to the sea

into the stars.

she made a man feel seen while he struggled under the crushing weight of expectation

a refugee of a patriarchal war 

another casualty,

thrown to the flames. 

what am i

but a pile of ashes

remnants of the fire food.

Serafina Valisa is a writer from the sunshine state. She’s an avid learner and is searching for herself everywhere she goes.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatsallshewr0te/