Open

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Open

Open like hell is opened

to the damned, like the heart

collapsed in on itself

or like being three nights

without sleep, in a room

of false friends.

 

Open with the wide smile

in your pocket, with layers

of socks to cover your wounded toes.

 

Open as a modern kiss, as

a dream in need of interpretation.

 

Open, though hiding would be nice,

and under the books on the shelf

is a message written in dust, uncovered.

It is telling you the change has come:

Your stomach is full of restlessness.

Your eyes are new with a strange indifference.

The change has come.

 

Open like a woman in labour,

or like a butterfly caught inside a storm.

 

 

Copyright © 2000 by Allison Grayhurst

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Published in “The Stray Branch Fall/Winter 2016” October 2016

stray-branch-5 stray-branch-book-1 stray-branch-book-2 stray-branch-book-3 stray-branch-on-the-overpass-2stray-branch-on-the-overpass-1

https://www.amazon.com/Stray-Branch-Fall-Winter-2016/dp/1537746731/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1477313155&sr=8-2&keywords=the+stray+branch

http://www.thestraybranch.org/current-issue/features-fw-2016-2/contributors/allison-grayhurst/https://www.createspace.com/6583151

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