leaving Ottawa

Nadine believes in the magic of simple gestures
she leans a palm on one’s chest
and welcomes heartbeats
to simply roll along her life line

this is how she incorporates love deities
inside heart’s cathedral

but no more walking on crowns of thorns
or steel lilies nailed into her hips
Nadine does not have to step in barrooms
to find a lover and keep the faith
giving in with the mantra: thy will be done

she plans to move to Montreal
work for television or explore other horizons
if she is not offered that job position
and if worse comes to worst
the line of credit can be used to live awhile

anyway, she will not carry with her
all those petty gods of the past

Third Place, \"Emerging from the shadows\"
contest, 2011, The Ontario Poetry Society, Canada