Tara Orr (14 February 2005)

Between the Woman and the Witch 

We stand there saying our goodbyes

through clenched teeth

and “watch your back” smiles,

both of us blaming the other

for every wrong.

We can barely wait for the door to close

before we start to mutter our disbelief

at the other’s stupidity.

No matter what I do

it’s always wrong.

How can I appease you?

It always ends up

being a clash

between the woman and the witch.

It’s been weeks since

we fought it out.

It hasn’t been the same,

I don’t think it ever will.

And some part of me

doesn’t want it to,

part of me mourns,

part of me knows

that’s just the way it is

between the woman and the witch.

Sometimes I think you may be right.

Maybe I ‘m the one who’s hard to please.

and I ‘m the one who always changes

who I am just as you get to know me.

I may not see the truth

of what’s before me because

it doesn’t fit my needs.

Perhaps I judge too swiftly

and forget my past.

I’m not sure I know what’s going on

between the woman and the witch.

There are nights when my baby sleeps,

my husband’s gone

and I am alone

that I think about what’s between us,

of how we hate each other

and miss each other.

I think that I’m not as open

or as humble

as I thought I was.

I think that

I’m a little more lost

than I want to know,

and you might see me

a little better

than I see myself.

When I look in the mirror

I see two pieces,

pieces that are jagged

and a little scarred

and I see that I am caught in the middle,