21 June 2007

Notes from the Repository of Souls

This grew out of another great/impossible prompt from the folks at Sunday Scribblings. It's very raw, and unlike my usual need to overpolish and work to death, I actually want to post this one this way. I'm not sure why. I think of all the secrets we carry for others, and I know that some people hold the secrets of many.

Persephone's Dream

You come to me underground
where I hold all your black stones
your prayers in the thick night.

The lovers you shouldn't have kissed
in a churchyard full of secrets
our bodies, where we lay them, full of dreams.

Our lips suck the forbidden fruit
words that want to crawl back,
unspoken, into the caves of our mouths.

The children you couldn't carry
rest between my breasts:
this silence, the labour of my love.

One day I will carry your death
alone at the crossroads
the gun to your head.

8 comments:

Rob Kistner said...

Very haunting and engaging!

Annie said...

"Our lips suck the forbidden fruit
words that want to crawl back,
unspoken, into the caves of our mouths."

True...so true.

Anonymous said...

Very compelling. Chilling end.

Patois42 said...

This leaves me feeling dark and hopeless. I guess that's my way of saying, "Nice job." Your post is as Rob and Gautami said.

GreenishLady said...

There is no polishing needed here. The poem is so powerful in its rawness your instinct is spot-on, I would say. Very strong.

quiltcontemplation blogspot said...

Love this!

lisrobbe said...

Wonderful poem!

sundaycynce said...

Rob's "haunting" and gautami's "compelling..chilling." Those comments really nailed it. Heaven help us if you had polished it---we'd all have nightmares.
Wow! Great post.