lightning rod

and when the car struck brick and mortar
when the bullet hit the flesh
when the hostility found the lightning rod
it was all I could do
to stand, you fled
and ran like your existence was threatened
while I shook,
you blinked at me.

~

RNH

Avalanche

And there came an avalanche
Hurling and tumbling
Wrath and resentment bowled
Fast mighty stones
And the earth seemed to upheave
The ground shifting, trust cleaved
The bloom that held certainty
Grew thorns of doubt
And as the hands shook
The eyes pricked
The boulders zoomed past and split 
And I
Stood by your unbreakable side
And let them rain.

~

RNH

the cloth

sweat out the anguish
like a rag wringing dry
the cloth, the body, twisted
the grief, like water, flies
slapping every surface sloppy
wet with eyes too full to cry
give the heartache, one more hard turn
wring the burst scar, one more time.

~

RNH

glint

when my heart hurts, I cannot write
I cannot find the words or stand their sight
I cannot soothe the ache or mend the tears
I cannot fight the anger or quell the fear
and when I do shut down
I shut down all
the light, only a small glint, almost gone.

~

RNH

for the door

would not walk away
with suitcase in hand
would not relinquish duty
with fear leading the pack
would not start for the door
every time doubt implores
for a greater understanding
I will wait
and trust
and persevere.

~

RNH

treasure chest

chopped the box up
with a mighty machete
opened its treasure
to the light and the day
unlocked the passion
taught to resist the capture
so I set free myself
all exposed and twinkling...

~

RNH

on a leash

temper tantrum daughter
took her leash and cut it off her
hooked the collar round a door knob
walked away with face in hands
sobbing
then wiped away the regret
so many tears spent, so many truths bent
ringing around her bruised, boxed ears
freed by the strength to let go.

~

RNH

fray

when you plucked at my edges
I knew they would fray
I knew I would acquiesce
when I should have disobeyed
I knew that my former stance
would bow amidst the clay
shrinking figure of your courage
at least my substance still remained.

~

RNH

of stones

with a melted face
she looked at me
made uncomfortable by her half-
lilted expression
dripping down her burgundy cheeks
ran the palpable admission
of her cold, stony heart.

~

RNH

autumnal prayer

head bowed to the interminable grace
the overlapping mirrors
the translucent face
the revelation bending even the stars
to the never-ending
spiral rifling bright
as the colors on the leaves.

~

RNH

recovery

lightning bolt struck
through the young tree, shook
its crimson leaves and almond
roots dug
down
deep, center
integrity split, breached, splintered
and pulling against the ground's trust
to stay in one place and forgive
stronger
changed
forced
to heal.

~

RNH

temporality

temporality took you
your body, your possessions
remaining, the pieces decorating
your life along the way

still, like frames hung on the half-lit hall
still fragility frozen
i remember you
i remember your laugh
booming and proud

and even though time
has taken you, your broken heart
is mended in all of us
who love you and will not let you go.

~

RNH

let go

all it took
was to uncurl bent fingers
open the palm up
and release the pent anger
held
onto so long
wincing when I touched
wound
soft sighed, grateful to be forgiven.

~

RNH