Eagle
Bound by evil,
the kind that has
no shame or hidden gain
that has only
stupidity as its strength and cruelty
as its force.
Bound to deal with
the devil’s lowest minion,
to feel its
rotting invading tongue touch your
clothes, your
books, your headband.
But not bound by
its game as long as the game
is relinquished
and God is sought when the axe comes down,
then it will pass
through you like a phantom axe,
mighty in
appearance, but achieving nothing.
Not bound if the
worse comes, and still
you stand with
peace and dignity, trusting God’s reward
and promise of
care.
Not bound if you
are free in faith, if you know
yourself to be
subject to a richer realm, higher than
these inching
worms.
Allison
Grayhurst
A
Way To Joy
Words and birthday
wishes
fall asleep under
the light.
In sleep, I see
what I do when awake -
shooting stars
that fade into dark infinity.
So far, I have a
bed, two legs and a mission
I’ve felt before I
could speak.
Kiss these hands
God, bless this pain in my shoulders,
give me hope for
recovery.
Every effort is
stultified, has no nucleus,
no path towards
the sun. Every movement forward
dissolves into the
flavour of the wind, is weak
in its purpose, in
its ability to love.
Print my name on
your heart. I want to serve,
to walk again
across the sand dunes, walk again
hand in hand.
Allison
Grayhurst
Alive
on your wave
of wet torment,
licking
the moon of your
lips,
cradling your
breath in my mouth
as I held you
submerged in my contracting core,
held you within as
you were within
saturated with my
pulse and flow.
I went under,
planted
in the memories of
your soul.
You swallowed our
merging
with rapid speed.
We evolved, stripped of every season,
you and I with our
initials carved on each other’s skin, undulating
in our sensual,
blessed commune.
Allison
Grayhurst
Because
Because of you
my heart has
hatched
its most treasured
nerve.
I am no longer
nagged by the sulphur darkness
that carves away
the surface from my lungs.
Because of you
we have two more
to join us on our journey.
Two children,
ruled by humour and the deep-drawn breath.
I no longer need
false conversation,
struggling to
understand the flow.
Because of you
my love has
learned how to conjure more love,
reap then sow.
Allison
Grayhurst
One
Little Heart
One little heart
graced with
purity.
Yellow hair and
happy eyes
and all the dreams
of a child's mind
like the shape of
a butterfly in the drain,
or elephants in
mushroom soup.
One little girl
dancing to
sunshine
making eccentric
faces
and laughing
outloud.
One little child
painting pictures
with her hands,
crying hard for
babyhood
and spilling her
fears on the ground.
One little heart
unknowing of all
the gifts she gives,
of how much love
she allows to live
and change this
place called home.
Allison
Grayhurst
A
Piece
Taken like a
fallen feather
back to God.
Removed from its
plateau
to a higher plain,
to leave the box
of memories an empty garden,
to show that love
and attachment
are not material,
are still vital when
there is no
breathing body left. To say it was only a thing
that held too
great a significance,
that losing it
meant
nothing
and changes
nothing
essential.
Allison
Grayhurst
