The others melted away and suddenly
Geoff Maxted
She stood alone, straight, stock still,
gazing across the rain-soaked square.
So unaware of me until by chance
her eye caught mine with a look
That told a tale as old as time.
Not young; her hair in modern style,
Touched with grey that matched the sky.
Elegant she seemed: so tall and slender,
Too thin perhaps and pale, so pale;
A ghost almost and I was struck
By a sense of abject loneliness and loss;
Beauty betrayed by a forlorn sadness
That I prayed I would never know.
Too late, distracted by my friends,
I raised my lens but in that moment
she turned away and I was left
Bereft of breath and wondering.
Photo: Sofina Lias
Read our “Camouflage” issue in full
RAWGUE.’s 4th issue delved into the grey, moody, and cold atmosphere of winter. Yet it did not sink into the depths of madness or depression. Instead, it embraced this season of hibernation, allowing 31 artists from all over the world to present their timid work beneath a veil of quiet beauty.
