Fantasy Mother the love of my life my heroine - my sweetheart - my goddess protects  consoles  and loves loves loves me and exists in my head alongside     nightmares  hallucinations  delirium She never never turns away from me She never never goes away from me She never never speaks to me except with pearls and rubies in her voice and in her nightly lullabies. She smells of wisteria and honeysuckle and lily of the valley her hair is thick and waved on her head like petals her hands are cool   tapered    gentle her feet are long    fine    cool her face offers acceptance of all i am ASTRA (Astra was born in Manhattan and lives in London, she has two sons.  She has contributed to major women's anthologies and has three collections, most recently Back You Come, Mother Dear).