Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Wailing Wall

ancient desert sun
pock-marks crumbling dust figure
heavy overshadow wrong side god

cubes stacked huge

getting smaller
a grey dove
forlorn cries

she nests in me

this wall.

fists beating the body's throat

unclenched hands forgiving themselves

controlled folding scraps of paper wishes

"thank you dear god for the various shades of gray
i cannot escape. open cracks rat holes
ice tunnels. i am paper, i am sand. I've
wedged myself so my backbone is powder.
day leaves me. at the mirror's edge
charcoal light

this crevice is deep
this wall touches the sky
this child stands beside it

take my wrist
i show you how to love me

venom in my foot
slowly spreading

suck out the poison
--I'll give you all my words

folded paper in the wall
an ocean

billions of salty prayers

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