The Queen of Hearts

by Rachael Sage Payne

We sat around the table,
A heart-shaped cake in the middle
A bowl of strawberries and custard
A fire in the wood-stove.

They were inviting,
And had been for many years
And it showed in their faces and smiles
And in the light in their eyes.

I was welcome there
And I wanted to stay for a while
For a childhood almost, or just until
I had learned but an inkling.

The head of the table
Was not taken by a man,
But graced with a presence of strength
And beauty, and motherhood.

Tall and straight she sat up
With her long hair cascading,
Like a wise and benevolent and radiant
Queen on her throne.

I was filled with questions
To which I felt certain
She had all the universally perfect answers,
For which I'd been searching.

But I sat to her right
Under red and pink streamers
Sipping white wine, and nibbling sweet cake,
And just enjoying the company.

The Author

Rachael Sage Payne has always been shaped and inspired by the arts. In school, Rachael absorbed herself into the various worlds of music, drama, art, dance, and writing. Her poetry was published in yearbooks and a national anthology; but the form of poetry which became her favorite was discovered when she got her first guitar at the age of 16, and began writing her own songs. In 2003 she finally made the move to Sweden to live with her boyfriend whom she'd met three years earlier in Australia. She still paints, sings, plays guitar, and writes. Now she just does it in Sweden.