Alethea

(a grounding poem)


The need
to go
on the N Judah train
to Ocean Beach
to stand alone
facing out
& to dig long toes in
sand and water

Take hold, feet
root here
and roll angles round
Flex
dig in
With each toe
touch past salt chill
ocean
beyond down

through layers
of body
into belly
deep attention –

Now enter
enter the darkest point
with longing
faith will bring light

Take root
reach past
crabs burrowed there
bones
of cormorants, sea otters & whales
push through
crusty skeletons
lost ships
& sallow dead men clutching
their loot push down
through lead tin copper
& iron step
into that ore laden vein rush of it
blood saturate each bone
muscle
with heat
churning gut reach
crawl
your body in
hot coals
that do not burn
& rest there
at the center of the earth

let go
and rise –
bring back that fire
through layers of rock wet memories
despair
loss & chagrin

Bring up
strength
through rich soil alive
breathing
tendrils winding up
ankle shin calf knee & thigh
to the fleshy thick
of your furry sex
sphincter anus
into belly
liver kidney & spleen
ribbons
expanding
further your luminous heart
out all along your arms
from gracefully held shoulders
to elbow sinewy arm wrist fingertip
& back
to touch
supple neck
& throat open song
winging
further fire light up
into jaw ah smile bright brow
blazing broadly
crowned with joy
in release

After Many Years Absent & Other Poems - M. Hannan © 1993