Two poems by Antoinette F. Winstead

In our silence

In our silence
sitting quietly,
by the fire,
together,

The rustle of a turning page
reminds me of children 
we never bore,

And, in the chatter of
saucer and spoon, 
echoes anger –
dismissed,
left to simmer.

In our silence,
the fire burns low,
pages turn,
and tea cools,
while we sit quietly,
together –
alone.

Prey Now a Huntress

I

Abused, abandoned,
The sun hides its face from her.
Despairing, she weeps.

II

Bathed in tears, she heals.
Purified wounds, fading scars,
Reborn, she rises.

III

Self-assured, she stalks
Into the darkest of nights,
Prey now a huntress.

IV

Stronger, emboldened
Heart forged in adversity,
She exacts justice.

Antoinette F. Winstead’s poetry has been published in TejasCovido, The Poet Magazine, ViAztlan, Cross Currents, and A Garland of Poems: A Collection from Ten Female Poets. She’s president of the Alamo Area Poets of Texas and vice-president of the San Antonio Poets’ Association.   Her B.F.A. is in Film and Television Production from New York University and her M.F.A. is in Film from Columbia University.  She teaches film and theater courses at Our Lady of the Lake University where she’s a tenured full-Professor, and currently serves as the Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Program Head for the Mass Communication and Drama programs. Her primary research interests are race and gender representations in film and television.