"FACINGFACES 2002 - 04" SELECTED POETRY

PRAISING GRIEF

Eyes tight in blue pain.
Dislocated heart denys
yet cries confirming the agony.
Why?
Grief like daggers
wrench hearts from vessels.
Tear blood from blood,
dragged up through the throat
to the mouth and out.
Burst forth as a million wasps
to sting every nerve.

But yet:
love swims in those pools
of salted stinging tears.
Without passion
there is no pain.
Without sorrow
no power to love.
We lose our hearts
with no guarantee of return.
Grief releases love......
welcome.

This poem has been published previously in
BorderSenses, a El Paso, TX, USA based literary magazine.


WEDDING RING

I can't move my arm today
You stupid bitch
And my vision is a little blurred
You stupid bitch
It's hot and sunny outside
But I'll stay indoors
Can't you do anything right?
And I'll make dinner perfect tonight
And lay the table exactly
Nothing out of place
You ugly cunt, ugly and stupid
It hurts to walk
But I won't limp or stumble
You're a fucking mess
Knocking at the door
She asks me to leave him
You're nothing without me
She asks me to go with her
She doesn't understand
I'll kill your whole pathetic family
I have to go shower
Have to get clean

I remember

With this ring I thee wed
With this ring I control

Lorraine Kelly
UK
copyright 1999-2002