Conspiracy - Prose Fiction by Susan Tepper & Photography by Glenn Bowie

 

Conspiracy

Meditations on dear Petrov, set in 19^th Century Russia during a time of war

 

Out walking the rutted road under a cold sun.  What decides when the time has come to warm the land.  Or the skin of a slight woman.  Tinged blue most of the year.  Shivering alone under rugs piled high on the straw mattress.  Pondering this I turn my ankle.  Pain ruptures all contemplation.  I must limp back to the house.  My shoes are old the leather cracked and stiff.  I bend to loosen the top lacing.   A stupid choice, I can hear you saying.  You’re right, dear Petrov.  Now my ankle flops loosely.  The pain is harder to bear.  Closer to home I could whistle for my horse.  Your voice from afar continues to admonish me.  I stop on the road and look about.  My eyes water.  The crow on a rotted limb has many more choices.  Its stance seems defiant.  Dear Petrov, please understand.  The walls are falling inward.  Meandering vines pushing through the roof rot.  Soon they will bear poison berries.  My ankle is destruction.  God has made a conspiracy against me.

Susan Tepper is the author of nine published books of fiction and poetry. Her tenth book, titled 9X9, will be released shortly by Cervena Barva Press.

Tepper is in the production phase of an Off-Broadway play that concerns artist Jackson Pollock in his later years. http://www.susantepper.com

Glenn Bowie is a published poet , lyricist and photographer from the Boston area. He also owns and operates an elevator company that supplies custom-built elevators for clients from New England to Hollywood. Author of two poetry and photograph collections (Under the Weight of Whispers and Into the Thorns and Honey) on Big Table Publishing , he donates all profits from his books to various charities for the homeless and local animal shelters.