Regret

.

Regret

.

I should have held it in –

a nut within its shell,

prolonged its freshness to ward-off

its rotting. I wish I kept my breath,

said nothing until the hallucination passed

and I was hard again and not so

revealing. If I could swallow, quench my

emptiness, restore the day of mercy

then I would, but the strike has torn, though

it was meant to mend. And the night moves on

as sleep beckons me

further into isolation, lacking the promise

of rest or resolution.

.

.

Copyright © 2006 by Allison Grayhurst

3010

amazon.com/author/allisongrayhurst

.

First published in “The Continuist”

“We’ve recently received the work of Toronto poet Allison Grayhurst, a collection of vivid imagery and gripping enjambment that puts the reader in a spiralling world of despair. By using language to express the human conflicts of inner turmoil and the way in which our past burdens interact with the subconscious, the self and the world around us, Grayhurst sculpts poems that are revealing and confessional, as well as technically adept in their formatting and diction. Check out her impressive resume and poems below:,” David Eatock, The Continuist

 

 

http://thecontinuist.wordpress.com/2014/06/03/poetry-by-allison-grayhurst/

.

You can listen to the poem by clicking below:

https://allisongrayhurst.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/regret.m4a?_=1

 

.

“Allison Grayhurst intertwines a potent spirituality throughout her work so that each poem is not simply a statement or observation, but a revelation that demands the reader’s personal involvement. Grayhurst’s poetic genius is profound and evident. Her voice is uniquely authentic, undeniable in its dignified vulnerability as it is in its significance,” Kyp Harness, singer/songwriter, author.

“Allison Grayhurst’s poems are like cathedrals witnessing and articulating in unflinching graphic detail the gritty angst and grief of life, while taking it to rare clarity, calm and comfort. Grayhurst’s work is haunting, majestic and cleansing, often leaving one breathless in the wake of its intelligence, hope, faith and love amidst the muck of life. Many of Allison Grayhurst’s poems are simply masterpieces. Grayhurst’s poetry is a lighthouse of intelligent honour… indeed, intelligence rips through her work like white water,” Taylor Jane Green, Registered Spiritual Psychotherapist and author.

.

2 responses to “Regret

  1. A classic. What word and meaning use! Weaving metaphor and psychological insight together like a braided pastry that is potent and goes down well. The voice of the poet remaining present in it’s unique and consistent tone of passion and forthright addressing the situation throughout.

    “I should have held it in –
    a nut within its shell,
    prolonged its freshness to ward-off
    its rotting.”

    “the strike has torn, though
    it was meant to mend. And the night moves on
    as sleep beckons me
    further into isolation, lacking the promise
    of rest or resolution.”

Leave a Reply to Appreciating The DifficultCancel reply