What Child

By Caroline Liberatore

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What child is this that laid to rest
nestled in the womb of a stone bridge, stoic
in bed? What child
is this that knelt on slush
tossed aside by anonymity, now raining
his croissant-shaped delight upon the sparrows?

What child, what melody
haunts the murmurings of pigeons
and polyester traffic and hums
of borrowed language --
He is the trill under the bridge
beckoning bent necks under mildew
martyred shelter, perforating space
with meaning.

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Caroline Liberatore is a poet from Cleveland, Ohio. She has also been published in Ekstasis Magazine and Ashbelt Journal.

Caroline's other work on Foreshadow: 
Library Liturgy (Poetry, February 2022)
Ecology (Psalm 84) (Poetry, August 2022)
Unearthings (Poetry, September 2022)
April Snowfall, a Mercy (Poetry, April 2023)
Grievances (Poetry, June 2023)
Seaside, OR (Poetry, November 2023)