Ophelia in the Morning

By H.A. Hendricks

On waking,
leave the pansies.
Amble through
the scrambled anxieties.
Forget the rue
and remember,
little princes
lack depth
in their perceptions
of love.

Today, stop asking
your mother’s question,
twisting its spearhead
beneath your breasts
and bones.

There is
nothing wrong
with you.
There is
only
you.

Now—
come back
to life.

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H.A. Hendricks fashions “stories” from words, sounds, images, and experience. Trained as a music producer/composer, Heidi left an audio career to pursue writing and study literature at the Harvard Extension School, where she now teaches. She recently launched NativeWit Productions, an experimental record label, and exhibited sound collages at the East Hawai’i Cultural Center. This is her debut publication.