Months have passed since I have lived at my house, and with Sandy's powerful hit, who knows what delays this will bring to my reconstruction. Patience to those who have felt the power of MOTHER NATURE.
The Impossibility of Returning Home
I was not trying to pull you from my forgotten groin
as you licked me with dragon’s fire directly over my
metal armor.
I was not trying to forge the inside of your heart with
pride,
or change the rusty seat of each wicked muscle.
I was not trying to push opulent words over your façade--
it was your insatiable fire that locked fear in me--
made me turn into an unrecognizable form, a dragon slayer.
Defeat
mixed into my blood and oxygen; I fed your coral flames with death.
I was not giving into the burn of your speech or
the rake of your claws across my scorched linoleum.
I did not listen to your mouth’s hissing blaze,
as my body felt shame for our impersonal destruction.
I was not trying to burn away anyone’s sins--
not mine, not yours, not filth and soot’s gossamer
presence.
Fearlessness settled in my head-- get them out, get them
out.
Outside a quiet night passed through me; you drink the
rain,
the sweet earth opens, moist dirt mists my nostrils,
white fog lifts from the ground as if to resurrect me to
God.
You take one last breath, exhaling dust onto my unsettled
LIFE.
My flesh, your metal, a ghostly bronze angel;
I simply asked for a new kitchen.
TJKG
Tracy, I could feel your pain in this very powerful write. Sandy was and is still on the minds of many. Excellent piece.
ReplyDeletePamela
smiles...just a new kitchen...really creative delivery through the first part...lots of emotion under the surface...and i like the dragon imagery/dragonslayer as well tracy....
ReplyDeleteI do feel for you, I can't imagine how hard it must be to deal with a natural disaster that destroys your home. I can feel your angst through your words, so emotional, I sincerely hope you get your new kitchen soon and can return to normal living, just being home!
ReplyDeleteVery powerful, but also very devastating read. May you regain your balance soon. - Mosk
ReplyDeleteWow... sorry you're still out of your house, but you'll have more than a remodeled kitchen. I hope you don't have to wait much longer.
ReplyDeleteThe way you've written this in the second person just makes it almost scream the pain of all those going through what you're going through. It's hard to imagine if one has never been through such devastation, but you brought it home for us.
ReplyDeleteStrong imagery, very effective. I couldn't breathe with the "moist dirt mists my nostrils", and the "exhaling dust".
ReplyDeleteThe last line really brings this piece "home"-- from the dragon imagery, to countertops and a new double-door refrigerator.
ReplyDeleteAnd the best of luck to you in this tragedy. ~peace, Jason
oh heck...def. lots of emotions here and how terrible to see how things burn down...the dragon part is very cool as well and i do hope you get your new kitchen soon
ReplyDeleteSo sad, so touching. I have a friend who is still not allowed back into the Fukushima exclusion zone and it really is so devastating to lose your home in the blink of the eye!
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