Looking Back

Written for dVerse Poetics: Step Into
the Lead. Our host, Merril, asks us to
write a poem focusing on a character
from a well-known story, myth, book,
fairy tale, movie, play, or even song
who is not the lead character.

They said the city was wicked.
I suppose it was. I knew it best
by its bread, by the well where the women talked,
by the river where we washed our clothes.

The angels said Don’t look,
as if a woman could shed forty years
like a cloak upon a hook,
as if the heart obeys the feet.

Behind me, fire was eating
the loom, the lamp, my small herb garden,
the neighbor girl who used to braid my hair.
Ahead was only Lot, not looking.

So I turned. Call it disobedience.
I call it counting what was lost.
Someone had to be its witness.
Someone had to say goodbye.

Now I stand where the salt wind scours me,
and every rain takes something of my face.
I am Lot’s wife, turned towards home.
I do not regret it.

NAR©2026

This is “Turn To Stone” by Joe Walsh

Poetics: Step into the Lead

^{Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.}