C.D. Collins is the author of three books, a collection of short stories, Blue Land (Polyho Press), a poetry collection (Ibbetson Street Press) and a novel, Afterheat (Empty City Press). Her fiction has appeared in numerous literary magazines including StoryQuarterly, Phoebe, Salamander and The Pennsylvania Review. Ms. Collins has received grants and awards from the Massachusetts College of Art, the Somerville Arts Council, the St. Botolph Club, The Kentucky Foundation for Women, the Cambridge Arts Council, the Malden Arts Council and Women Waging Peace.

C.D. Collins

We’re Still Here

Hold my gaze as we slow time,

In a  shimmering globe of light, 

We join hands and take our place

In leaves and vines and noblest grapes,

Ready for the fight, some go left and some go right

Ready for the cause, ready or I thought I was

Open flower in my pride

Form intact, but burst inside.

Climb the darkling gabbro hill

Wing into the wintry chill

Arrow from the archer’s bow

Where it strikes we cannot know,

Will my candle light the way?

When we’ll rise, we cannot say.

Ready for the fight, some go left and some go right

Ready for the cause, ready or I thought I was

Let  my heart become a rose.

Let my mind become a coin

Tumbling through the evening sky.

Let my eyes become the stars.

Ready for the fight, some go left and some go right

Ready for the cause, ready or I thought I was.

If the rose begins to fade

Give her drink and offer shade

When the rose begins to fall

Gather petals for us all.

Do all this on summer nights

Fireflies calling with their light

The Moon is new but oceans pull

The darkest moon will soon grow full

Ready for the fight, some go left and some go right.

Ready to set sail,  we’ll brave the storm and we’ll prevail.

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