Hell Seen
Unseen, the darkness is a tsunami gateway,
engulfing every fragment of will,
builds unexpected, a shock of water filling
the lungs, chaos infesting every corner of the mind,
rational thought on fire, cindering, seared by
loveless insanity.
This is the inheritance that must be thrown overboard,
tossed like a corpse that is plagued with a contagion.
No room for sentimental mercy which is not mercy,
only a longing for comfort that in the end
compromises protective barriers that must be upheld.
All ties must be cut and loyalty to God,
the only link left.
I visited hell, shadows grabbing my every corner of flesh,
loneliness like an amputated limb,
released and thrashing, abandoned
from its fertile blood source.
I was afraid, every cell drenched in horror.
I had no voice, no substance.
I was shown hell, experienced hell
a flood, a plummeting down down
Even in that evil landscape,
my loved ones saved me,
prayers said outloud saved me,
and the haunting loosened its hold.
Now seen, I see
there is only God or hell –
God or
anguish, anxiety, blunt force destruction,
pounding torment, a rotting waste.
God and
life embraced,
a rapturous and difficult glory.
Copyright © 2020 by Allison Grayhurst
amazon.com/author/allisongrayhurst
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First published in “Our Poetry Archive” October 2020
https://ourpoetryarchive.blogspot.com/2020/10/
https://ourpoetryarchive.blogspot.com/2020/10/allison-grayhurst.html
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You can listen to the poem by clicking below: