Anthology - Stolen Identity

In March we asked for entries to a charity anthology where the theme was STOLEN. Kneel Downe's Stolen Indie Anthology is now out but we wanted to share some of the entries here on the website too. Here's Stolen Identity by Ruth Sabath Rosenthal...
Body chilled by years of neglect,
my twin lies in a hospital bed

trying to grasp how she’s come
to this. The sum of my fears,

she’s the one person I dread
I could be, save for some kink

in our link of genetic fiber.
Struggling not to catch her death

of cold, I’ve steered clear of her
notion that our birth was not just

numerical happenstance. Yet,
at times, I find myself more

akin to that than sanity
permits, and though I fall

into the black hole of her undoing,
so far I’ve managed to climb back

out — into the asylum of my life.
Out, according to my twin

by climbing over, thus, stealing
her chance to be first

to exit the womb.
RUTH SABATH ROSENTHAL is a New York poet, well published in the U.S., and internationally. Her poem “on yet another birthday” was nominated for a Pushcart prize. Ruth has authored five books of poetry: “Facing Home” (a chapbook) -- “Facing Home and beyond” -- “little, but by no means small” -- “Food: Nature vs Nurture” and “Gone, but Not Easily Forgotten” — all available from Amazon.

Please feel free to visit Ruth’s websites: www.newyorkcitypoet.com and www.poetrybyruthsabathrosenthal.com