these feet
Posted: July 5th, 2011, 8:42 pm
How lovely are the feet of messengers
of peace— whose canyon heels are sharply pained—
whose lacerated blisters’ lymph is drained
in dust-wet puddles where the passengers
of love and mercy walk— whose ankles, sprained
and twisted, still advance like harbingers
of grace— whose toes are prey for predators
of fire and fungus and whose nails are grained
with thick, corrosive waste. How lovely are
the feet that march unceasingly ahead
– as if in apostolic prayer – to you
like wind— or like your lover’s breath— when far
away and scorched by stagnant, lonely dread
you wait. How lovely are these feet to you?
of peace— whose canyon heels are sharply pained—
whose lacerated blisters’ lymph is drained
in dust-wet puddles where the passengers
of love and mercy walk— whose ankles, sprained
and twisted, still advance like harbingers
of grace— whose toes are prey for predators
of fire and fungus and whose nails are grained
with thick, corrosive waste. How lovely are
the feet that march unceasingly ahead
– as if in apostolic prayer – to you
like wind— or like your lover’s breath— when far
away and scorched by stagnant, lonely dread
you wait. How lovely are these feet to you?