At twenty-two
Charlotte discovers her legacy to suicide—
six on her mother’s side of the tree, including
the artist’s mother, had taken
their own lives.
Chances are, she calculates, whatever
had struck her next of kin
would strike Charlotte too—
unless she could work the curse
of Selbtsmord
into a new motif.
The C. S. who summons
salvation from paint, breaks
from her nature to save it.