swifts  &  s l o w s · a quarterly of crisscrossings

the distance of loss
Bette P. Caperon

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The distance of loss

After Self-portrait in a convex mirror by John Ashbery

Swerving the obstacles in their path,
running together yet swimming away.
Portraits of time, space, loss.
Dividing hearts while copying the reflection,
shards of glass scatter. Hopes shatter.
Their soul is a captive, unable to escape.

Restless raindrops sigh as they pound fresh earth.
Tenderness, regret, longing secrets. Hot tears.
Fitting perfectly into postures of the dream
false and authentic. Lost and found.
The subtle light of silent fears
weaves delicate meshes, bound.

Changes, subtle features of the whole,
slants of memory slide into darkness.
Windblown fog and sand envelop sadness.

Seasons turn

peeling stubborn leaves from wet branches.
Empty eyes dream for better days.

The magma of interiors is bleak,
solidifying the distance between us.

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Bette P. Caperon is a poet and photographer based in Toronto, Ontario. She is an immigrant to Canada and a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. She has had her poetry published in various literary journals, most recently in May 2025 in Voices Unbound, an Anthology of International Poetry, produced by Fresh Words: An International Literary Magazine. Bette holds a PhD in health with psychology and has a form of synesthesia which she often uses in her work. She splits her time between the three continents she calls home and where she has family – Europe, North and South America.