Your phrases landed on the floor
between us. I didn’t know how to catch them.
Strings of words, a story of near miss.
One collection of minutes that almost
restructured my life, like petals
blown away by the wind
never again to unite in beauty.
A reminder of the impermanence of us.
© Alicia Grimshaw 2017
She overcame
her internal screaming toddler,
“I don’t wanna. I don’t wanna.”
Will Power offered a hand
linking her arm in his
to lead around the corner.
Her first step through
this now open door
a route unavailable
to her past self.
© Alicia Grimshaw 2017
Photo taken in Lisbon, Portugal 2017
Breath from within me
floats out to join yours,
to settle on the brown ground beside
join the atmosphere’s chorus
sing with your exhale.
The tree we sit beneath
is not excluded
from this song.
Lightly soft it hums
new life down upon us.
Static on the radio
world leaders move their pieces,
play the game of war.
Under the tree
we continue to breathe each other.
© Alicia Grimshaw 2017/Rewrite 2019
Resharing a revised edition of this poem. Sending love to all of those choosing to share their life path with another.
The path we share sometimes forks.
Here a place to pause among trees.
Conversations in layers like leaves on the forest floor.
Shadows arrive, shake us with views of separate routes.
I kiss your hand with love as I release it.
Fly above the forest if you are called to.
I will not let you deny yourself
to keep us on the same path.
Together we can travel
only if
you will still seek.
© Alicia Grimshaw revised version 2017
I am resharing this poem today in honor of National Relaxation Day. One long slow breath. Try it out.
Between each breath
one, maybe two seconds at most,
a tiny space of nothingness.
My passport can’t get me there.
Driving faster, running harder,
multitasking while eating lunch
working later, doing more…
no closer to my destination.
“Where would you like to travel to?” they ask.
someplace between
inhale
and exhale.
© Ali Grimshaw
Beyond imagination.
Outside of your current image.
Your reflection lies in the eyes of others.
The eyes of those that surround
looking back at you.
See yourself there
to know where you are heading.
© Alicia Grimshaw 2017
Just enough oxygen.
Not a breath more,
than what is needed
for life to continue.
Her body floats in liquid blue.
Hair feathered out
on the surface like tentacles
reaching for a firm grip,
a holdfast,
to keep from
going
under.
© Alicia Grimshaw 2017
© Alicia Grimshaw 2017
Dulled by time, the dusty door
coated from years of holding back
nailed shut, painfully impassable
darkness left sealed for so long
you can’t remember it ever being open.
Bewildered frustration, heat rises
sweat drips down your chest
fury and defeat of stones tied to feet.
This emotional cycle circles through
each day as you stand before it.
Maybe it isn’t possible to reopen
you are so small.
But look
you still hold the hammer in your hand
the key dangles from your back pocket.
© Alicia Grimshaw 2017
In honor of Forgiving Fridays on Forgiving Connects
flashlight batteries - Ali Grimshaw 