Saturday 6 November 2010

82. Al-Afuw – Blow the ashes



Suggests Forgive, pardon, blow away, burn – Pablo Neruda
'if I touch near the fire the impalpable ash or the wrinkled body of the log'


To my sons
I fear I did not give
enough attention, time,
and, when I look death in the face,
will my dreamed-of God forgive
a working father’s crime;
not far beyond our last embrace?

Heart
In my heart - a water bomb –
like a spirit – bubble –

locked within my heart’s divide
in closets, rooms and cupboards

on the slant and stuck there,
unable to burst out

‘cos every chamber’s boarded up
with dust and drying wattle.

I need to scrub and scrub – berserk -
and clear the crap away

from here - in here - it’s Banksy’s work,
graffiti’s everywhere.

Bristle, scrubbing brush - and soap -
and with a leap - at last, at last -
my bubble levels - bursts – and softly - oh - I seep.

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