She Dreams of Ibises

by Lois Perch Villemaire


Lovely creatures 
stepping through  
the water’s edge,
delicate and serene, 
pure white in her dream 
until two witches 
cast a scarlet spell. 

The ibises turned blood red,
a hue never before seen, 
it clashed with the green 
of the tall grasses swaying. 
They were on fire— 
too hot to be held 
by anyone but a witch.


* * * * *

Lois Perch Villemaire is the author of "My Eight Greats," a family history in poetry and prose. Her work has appeared in such places as Blue Mountain Review, The Ekphrastic Review, ONE ART: A Journal of Poetry, and The Ravens Perch. Anthologies including I Am My Father’s Daughter have published her memoir and poetry. She was the winner of the Haiku Challenge in Pen in Hand July 2023. Lois lives in Annapolis, MD, where she volunteers at the local library, enjoys yoga, researching family connections, fun photography, and doting over her African violets.