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To Wait Without Drowning

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            Too quiet here

in the yellow rains, the yellow

            darkness

ranting outside the door.

 

The wig of the sky

swells like a million balloons;

            clouds,

foaming through the cracks of eternal space.

 

I want to say one thing

swift enough to catch

            birds.

I want to say this thing

 

that contains shelter and the squawking storms,

that floods my body as though my skin

            was a sponge, floods first,

then severs each nerve and cord.

 

I want to lie under water until I awaken,

until hunters and herds walk the grasslands,

            calm

against each other’s shoulders . . .

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Copyright © 1995 by Allison Grayhurst

amazon.com/author/allisongrayhurst

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Published in “The Peregrine Muse” July 2017

https://sites.google.com/site/theperegrinemuseii/home/grayhurst

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First published in “Writers Quarterly”

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You can listen to the poem by clicking below:

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“Somewhere Falling has a richness of imagery and an intensity of emotion rare in contemporary poetry. Drawn in sharp outlines of light and darkness, and rich shades of colour, with a deep sense of loss and longing and the possibility of salvation, this is an unusual book by a gifted young poet. Grayhurst’s voice is one to which we should continue to pay attention.” — Maggie Helwig, author of Apocalypse Jazz and Eating Glass.

“Responsibility and passion don’t often go together, especially in the work of a young poet. Allison Grayhurst combines them in audacious ways. Somewhere Falling is a grave, yet sensuous book.” – Mark Abley, author of Glasburyon and Blue Sand, Blue Moon.

“Biting into the clouds and bones of desire and devotion, love and grief, Allison Grayhurst basks the reader, with breathtaking eloquence, in an elixir of words. Like lace, the elegance is revealed by what isn’t said. This is stunning poetry.” – Angela Hryniuk, author of no visual scars.

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