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Joshua’s Shoulder
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The herd was on a hill
Soldiers were marching
Young people were below, learning
how to grow up correctly.
I touch a cloud with my tongue,
cried on Joshua’s shoulder
Will they every be resurrected?
Will the horn blow,
beat heaven into every heart?
I had a dream Joshua,
we were on a clear river
sailing on a gigantic leaf
we were more than happy
never once striving for shore.
Joshua stretched out an arm
a finger
drew a circle encasing us
My love,
I would break in a minute
if not for your soul
pressed so close to mine
Choose your smiles well
not everyone understands laughter
like we do.
The rocks dislodged from mountains
covering graveyards.
An old woman was reciting her name
in front of a mirror, a child
she once knew, remembered
herself to be
Dead fish lay on the beach,
their eyes, like marbles
glowed, all suffering
traceless
as if locked inside
a wisdom
no human could unmask.
I lifted my hands
to give thanks to the birds,
leaned on Joshua’s shoulder
and whispered
Joshua
The flowers are stones
and the stones are stars
Joshua nodded
took my hand
and changed direction, tears
leaving his strong eyes.
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Copyright © 1989 by Allison Grayhurst
amazon.com/author/allisongrayhurst
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Joshua’s Shoulder was published in 1989 by The Plowman, written by Allison Grayhurst under the pseudonym of Jocelyn Kain.
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Published in the “Peregrine Muse” April 2018
https://sites.google.com/site/theperegrinemuseii/home/grayhurst
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First published in “The Plowman: A Journal of International Poetry” 1989
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