On a day I felt as if I’d swallowed a wasp
My soul, beset by angers all about
Found a maze of love to wander
And at its center, bowed in two, before a Holy Light.
All fear fell from me like dry scales
I began to luminesce
I took up the warrior’s wield:
The shield & buckler
An axe of war-torn dreams–
A sword grew from my hands.
Two wings flared from my back
I groaned at their heady weight
I flexed then to the ends of the world
And screamed to fly again.
The chocolate night unfolded
I passed between great heavens
Of chilblained division
Which sealed behind me, becoming warm glass
Developing a face half-weeping, it called my name
A blast of sound I rode forward into infinity
There would be an arrival: a choosing:
A serious battle
“You will bleed,” it shrieked
I gave no heed, flew on
Touching wingtips to the Poles.
I will not say it a dream
Or an impossibility:
A flight through fire
Singeing me well
My feathers seared to black, to gray
Ash drifted down to float the river.
When bared to bone
I folded them in whiteness
Lifting weapons instead.
I fought to brilliance
The morning’s gold renewed me
I breathed hoarse sweat
Rank & beaded in blood
I took my measure & pressed the Battle
Fierce we were, uncomprehending
To win war is to lose
Each of us the other.
We were brave, skirling the mountaintops
Like thunder, our faces mist
We bashed & clashed
Till, fought to a standstill, we
Balanced atop each other’s feet
Staring, down to knives & nails
We bled each other’s blood
As morning paled to day
The humans watched, stunned, all disbelieving
We were thunder made solid,
Caught in the storm of our own making,
My soul mirrored his
Till black & white emerged as doorway
Where all might enter
Searching Peace.
Carol Borsello
New Year’s Eve 2019
