WRITERS ABROAD MAGAZINE: THE THIRD SPACE
Sister of No Mercy
by S.B. Borgersen
Between the lines
not so young when
you taught fear and cowering I learned tough and unbelieving.
Whatever Leonard says
I say he’s wrong and hasn’t
felt your rod to save the child from spoil.
Sweet smile encased in white
belies the truth
of brown beer bottles
in secret cupboards
waiting for the time
when all us girls
asleep in dorms
liberate you to
more sins.
This poem was first published in 2009 in Leonard Cohen You’re Our Man, an anthology of 75
poems from around the world in response to poetry by Leonard Cohen in celebration of his 75th
birthday. Sister of No Mercy (page 15) is one of Sue’s biographical poems and responds to Mr.
Cohen’s To a Young Nun from his Book of Longing. Being published in this anthology was a
turning point in Sue’s writing career. Made even more special because Margaret Atwood’s poem,
Setting Leonard to Music, is on page 9.
14 | November 2016