The Poetry of Anne C. Petty

Come down darkness, hide the handiwork
of wind and tide that scoured hearts with sand
dredged off that muddy river bottom,
river held against its will,
climax held in check till
levees came a-tumbling down.

Come down darkness, come on down,
we’re spent and done, we’re all done in.
Black water rises, beats against the door,
demands its due in daylight streaked with muddy gray.
Our road to safety seen through a windshield darkly,
suddenly we’re off the road and sinking under.

Come down darkness, cover the carnage.
Where’s that muddy river bottom now?
Swollen waters drag the depths and wash it clean.
All that I was, swept swiftly downstream—
images, words, visions, dreams, now floating,
rushing out somewhere safe to sea.

Brother, mother, sister, father
Lost you on the tide
Wet come rolling, cold come chilling
No one left inside
Fang and horn and claw and feather
Prisoned on the line
Cold rain falling, storm come squalling
Bite the wind and whine
Rip the cage and break the tether
Death for those confined
Sun come stinking, no one’s thinking
Who’s been left behind.

Drowned dog by the side of the road,
glazed eyeshine caught in the headlights.
Black matted fur and lolling red mouth
ravage my thoughts heading homeward.
It should have been more cautious,
or the driver more careful.
What child’s call will go unanswered in early dawn,
standing alone, waiting

ANNE (Ph.D. in English, FSU), has over 40 years’ experience in the publishing field as author, editor, and publisher, working in education and private industry. Anne was a founding member of the Tallahassee Writers Association. In addition to writing and editing, Anne operates her own literary small press, Kitsune Books, established in 2006.

Anne’s published books include:
One Ring to Bind Them All: Tolkien's Mythology (literary criticism: 1979 / 2nd ed. 2002)
Tolkien in the Land of Heroes (literary criticism: 2003)
Dragons of Fantasy (literary criticism: 2004 / 2nd edition, 2008)
Thin Line Between (novel: 2005)
Shaman’s Blood (novel: due out 2010)

Anne has also contributed chapters to anthologies such as Tolkien Studies, Tolkien and Shakespeare, Tolkien and Religion, and Dragons East & West. She has published poetry in The Mind’s Eye, Southeast Review, Mythprint, and many more. Her latest short story, “The Veritas Experience,” was published in the Feb. 16, 2009 issue of The Absent Willow Review and will also appear in the anthology, Best of Absent Willow Review, October 2009.