East of Eden

East of Eden  we are in limbo  deceived
by belief in earth and I lie 
                                     limbs outstretched 
palms open  petitioning
pleading
        in need
of rescue         I am not saved 
No one comes and my fears are confirmed
I am confined to silence  the enemy’s hand
on my throat  fingers hooked
wrist turning nimbly  casually 
gleefully          My heart already out  underfoot

East of Eden  I lie in hopeless wait
                                 in the den of the beast
                                

Did I not willingly enter
                                  this hell?

Moonlit gloom  blue burning
sky glim             burdened chant
                           under breath so unheard as if underwater
undone so unwon
weakened
                                             disgraced  unmourned

This sworn edict  heaven’s temporal oath
and the porcelain taste of tart 
tainted
fruit still tingling on my tongue 
it’s promising burnished glow still in mind’s eye

I did not willingly enter                I fell  Unknowing 
                                                       Knowing 

I was shut out
                                                       and now        alone 
                                                       apart 
                                                                   worth vanished 
The vault breaks
The ferns I wear scratch at my skin                                                      
barely cover                                 I cannot sleep
for I am on watch
                                                                   checking corners
My bed is a tangle of twisted weeds twining
like strangling arms           East of Eden
 I have encased myself with shell 

A paper nautilus             I create a poison 
 I am a colorist                                   shifting
                        shades
to self-protect
and you fear me
though you knew me when I held a different form

You fear castration              I fear you 
                          I retreat within 
Withdraw
                          to depths
you cannot fathom 
Paralyze with escape

                            My shell is leaf-like fragile  Peel it back
to find me

                            East of Eden  you hear my call
as song of siren 
                                  tempting  You fear
                                  my golden hair  You fear
strangulation                 You fear my voice  You are cursed  

                It is written on the walls  and the dragon roams
with goal to kill 
               destroy                                                glassy eyes 
piercing  spears 
                                                                              accusing      
rearing head  seeking to devour

He has found me out                                                                                                     
taken me in
and left me
here to die

We are in limbo in a brief-eternity vapor
We are flaming wood          this orb an urn
We are in danger
We are tumbling down and fast
We are ashes

I am beauty  Changed  Life  Dust  Flesh  Rising
                                                                            Healing 
Calling forth and out 
Come and find me

The Sunday Whirl