Sestina Obbligato, and: After Rain

Abstract: “Sestina Obbligato” breaks the sestina form into a series of linked stories, each tying back to themes of music, physical contact, obligation, and a complicated relationship with a mother figure. In “After Rain,” the speaker finds it easier to deal with the discomforts of the body than to address the discomforts truly keeping her awake at night, specifically the absence of maternal feelings within herself.