2 Poems by Ellie Lee

Ginger Candy

The mark of darkening orange chases the sunlight away,
Abandoning the sky to the stars.
Momma stays in the kitchen near the front door,
An extra fixed plate — untouched

Momma gives me ginger candy.
The shallow pool of tea left at the bottom of the cup
A sinking feeling remains,
Eating up the remnants of my conscience
Sugar on my lips, questions at the tip of my tongue

The East awakens, shattering the vigil
The door creaks and a familiar intruder enters
Amber light spills into the room like hidden secrets
A bitter truth hard to swallow.

Garden Limits

The summer heat creates a safety net of humidity
Grassy tendrils nip the girl’s heel tethering her to the ground–grounding her.
Chubby hands cup the weight of the future, simply plump naivety

The sunshine too strong and the flowers cloyingly sweet
Reach for the high hanging fruit, but fear the fall
O’ child, where will you go if not the garden?
The gates are far away…
out of sight.