The Pattern

Question 1

Stanza 1(the pattern)

Answer 1

the sting of her hand across my face in one of our wars.

Question 2

Stanza 2/3(the pattern)

Answer 2

We might have made a new start as women without tags like mother, wife, sister, daughter,

Question 3

Stanza 3(the pattern)

Answer 3

I’d never gone back to visit her grave.

Question 4

Stanza 4(the pattern)

Answer 4

When her knees grew sore she’d break for a cup of tea.

Question 5

Stanza 5(the pattern)

Answer 5

Did her mirror tell what mine tells me?

Question 6

Stanza 6(the pattern)

Answer 6

knowing history has brought her to her knees.

We’d grow solemn as planets in an intricate orbit about her.

Question 7

Stanza 8(the pattern)

Answer 7

It’ll be over my dead body anyone harms a hair of your head.

Question 8

Stanza 10(the pattern)

Answer 8

I wore that dress with little grace. To me it spelt poverty, the stigma of the second hand.

Question 9

Stanza 13(the pattern)

Answer 9

wrapped entirely in her own shadow, the world beyond her already a dream, already lost. She’s eight months pregnant. Her last child.

Question 10

Stanza 15(the pattern)

Answer 10

I dreamt a robe of a colour so pure it became a word.

Question 11

Stanza 17(the pattern)

Answer 11

Tongues of flames in her dark eyes, she’d say, “One of these days I must teach you to follow a pattern.”