‘An Accusation Of Betrayal’

Photographer - Tobi Brun

An Accusation Of Betrayal
A poem about the fire at Winter Street Studios, December 20th, 2022

Here stands what’s left to cherish – If it still has any worth?
An accusation of betrayal, a death and then - no birth.
I find no consolation - the grave was not the goal.
Two second flight, a long goodnight.
The price more than the toll.
Fire uncontrollable, the same as boiling hate.
Once the flame is lit – there’s no manning the gate.
And we, we had no part in it, like many stories told.
Anger, once unleashed, consumes more than it’s owed.
This accusation of Betrayal - it didn’t take its leave-
It lingers in the Artist souls and in the canvas weave.

Toria Hill is a living, working artist who works in Acrylics and Mixed media at her studio inside the Winter Street Studios in Houston Texas. In December of 2022 another artist, filled with anger about what he perceived as a betrayal, set a bomb off inside the building and this fire consumed the entire building which held the life work of over 100 artist - including Toria Hill. Although she is not a poet, she had onn piece that, although damaged by smoke, survided the fire. In her pain, anger and loss she scribbled these words across the canvas. It lives to day to remind us all what a spark of anger can do. It is her only publicly diplayed poem today. www.toriahill.art / IG: toriahill.gallery FB: @toriahill.art