The Intruder

A Visit from the Old Mistress (1876), Winslow Homer

The Intruder by Crystal Foretia

Let me be clear— you were expected

But not invited. Then again, when 

Have you ever needed an invitation 

To cross into another's home?

It was your duty, your destiny,

To prod around my house

And anticipate my hospitality.

You're entitled to my kindness, of course.

The same kindness you showed me,

As your husband whipped civility into us

Like dim-witted donkeys.

I sensed your discontent from the porch, 

Wondering when your beloved 

Would give up his mission and kill us 

Like the brutes you made of us.

But hey, it's a bygone era.

We're free for now.

Free for us to survive.

And free for you to pretend 

Nothing ever happened.

Crystal Foretia

My name is Crystal Foretia (she, her, hers) and I am a senior at Columbia University majoring in Political Science and History. Born and raised just outside of D.C., I am the daughter of Cameroonian immigrants. My identity as a first-generation African-American informs my passions for comparative politics and the history of the African diaspora. My poetry draws extensively on Black history, Afro-centric art, and personal experience to comment on our present moment. My work can be found in Quarto Magazine, Surgam Magazine, That Which Remains, and Changing Wxman Collective, among other places.

Instagram: queen_crystie