bliss station ~ poetry

a prophetess

the crowd on the beach
is gathered to gather
her sacred things.

in the crowd
at the back of it

I hear - she was lost
in the sea & was found
on the shore.

from the front I hear -
only these things float
on the ashen river

only these things can raft
out of purgatory.

I want these to be the
bottlecap she put her
teeth to the end of the
shawl she chewed
the ointment for the
patches on her back

virgin mary & infant jesus
carved in radishes
somewhere in mexico

the pen-lid she bit bit bit
into the shape of
an elephant's trunk.

relics.
relish.
revel.

is she talking only to me
or am I the only one listening -

you all are gathered
what more do you need?

is it some sort of blasphemy, I ask
to kiss a prophetess?

let's find out she says
& we find out -

we are lost in the sea
we are found on the shore.

~Ajay
24/12/2019