Excerpt for Along the Wayward Path by Annalise Grey, available in its entirety at Smashwords

Along the wayward path


By Annalise Grey


Copyright 2011 Annalise Grey


Smashwords Edition


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Along the wayward path


Long have I travelled

along the wayward path.

Ankle-twist

and down I fall again.

Mud-streaked arms and feet

snapping branches as I go.

Sharp scent of decaying

leaves beneath me

and within.

Once my heart loved

enough to care

for my Self and Pride.

No more,

for I released the selfsame heart

into wilderness

losing so much more

in the process

than simply my way.




Those eyes belie

sincerity of voice

Noxious tongue

which speaks volumes on deceit

till dry,

barren from wanting

but not getting

So he tries drinking me in

like wine to quench his heavy need

Heat

I am left in need

of a shield to protect me

and a shower

if the shield fails




She, as a house

and I

a tree

From her he runs

to my wild arms,

firm branches

unbreaking

Wind in my leaves

In the earth, my roots take rest

Golden pleasantry

of days in bloom

She has forgotten

her tree birth

choosing life as a house

Yet he always returns

secure in those same

four walls

quiet comfort for chilly days

protected in her

while I stand sentinel

apart




Germany


My once

bruised and battered heart

is fine now

I martyr my doubt to the wind

while the languid sounds of voices

and words I can't understand

float past me

as I lay myself out

along the banks of the Neckar




My castle burns beneath a velvet sky

For you I'll build another

while you laugh so soft

and teach me of honesty

which lies in working emerald pastures

In these summer days of golden light

you make it easy just to be

Now what have they to say

when none is left to conquer?

For the Queen entrusts

her body and soul

to the keeping of a farmer's son

Though destruction bears

its weight in full

it matters none to me

as you lie aside

Fingers laced

mine in thine




Winifred's waters can't wash away

the stain across my heart

Purging myself of all

till empty

I am temporarily freed from

these leaden chains

of blood

and fear

If I spoke of uncertainty,

doubting my own strength

would you look upon me the same way,

knowing the inner divestment

is more cleansing

than...

anything?

Or would your own heart ache

to know

that he would have loved me

had I been...

more?

This is the seed, my own design,

sown in my psyche

to give me control

over

something




Nuestras raices toman la Tierra

bailando al ritmo

de Ella

sin olvidar la fuerza

y belleza

del sangre comun




I take it here

bound by

taunting looks given my frame.

The mirror sneers

while stone-cold insults

dig shallow graves

for Hope and Wellbeing

inside my breast.

I have no more reason

to doubt their truthfulness

than I do

my own sanity.

Yet

I grieve

For my Beloveds,

Kindness and Charity, too have gone

by way of Hope and Wellbeing

until

my skinny chest is a scarred,

never budding field

for mourning.




Almost

I said, but not quite

Had trouble finding the tongue inside my teeth

the strength of will to move my lips

to take a breath

and speak

Almost

You passed, but not quite

To my left, down the street and out of sight

The engine drowning out any hope of sound

My voice

should have said

“I miss you”

Almost, but not quite




Mrs. P's skeletons lay as crumpled laundry

in a closet tucked away

Her husband knows, of course, but ignores

Politely covering

the door with a delicate couch

Flowery pillows, soft chenille throw

to challenge the horror of her skeletons

piled high and dirty

like stale sheets in desperate need of cleaning

Aired out

Refreshed and saved

from their oily rancor

of skins and fists

against one another

Epic battle of wills

played out upon her

And so each day they sit watching TV

near where her skeletons lay

pretending as if the scraping of bone against bone

is nothing more

than imagination



************************************************************************



About me

Pennsylvania native, dreamer, explorer.


I write because I like talking to the voices in my head. They are (usually) good company. I love to travel (when I have the $ for it). My family is everything to me.


Follow me on Facebook - Annalise Grey


Other works by me:


Ramblings of a Tired Mind: Poems - a small collection of poems about life, love, and everything in between


Bent - Kameron was always a straight edged student until they day he shot and killed a classmate. Now everyone around him is left wondering, what does it take to make a monster? (short story)


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