Possession by Valerie Parente

My dear possessions
have a way of possessing me
inanimate objects
that feel crucial to my vitality
dolls with glass eyes
but no bloodstream
yet I feel them in my veins
charging my heart beat.

I am possessed
by what I see
surrounding myself
with where I find beauty.
It’s not the devil’s magic
it’s creation, it’s Godly,
merging the material world
with my favorite imagery.

Symbols and signs
hieroglyphics from dreams
attaching to the ego
little trinkets, concrete
but someday I’ll go
and I can’t take them with me
the only everlasting possession
will be the love that I keep.

– Valerie Parente (10-18-2025)