147.

Forgive me, Jasmine

the foolishness with which I speak

surpasses my lack of humility

from last night

The world might heave

& swallow itself

but your arms about me are strong

& I’m safe

 

148.

When the instructions were given for jericho

we lined up, we of the margins

we lined up to sing & pray like everyone else

but they pointed at us & called us infidel

& called infidelity from our lyrics

& told us to go

 

so further & further out from the wall

of Jericho from the columns of song

from the layers & layers of prayer

& the centre where a golden god waited for freedom

 

we heard: not you infidel

not you with your infidelity

not you with that kind of soul beside you

 

so further & further

further & further until we turned our backs

to the centre & from the wall

& headed back home

 

149.

we headed for ethiopia

i to look for anu

you for aoife of the marvellous thighs

we walked on a dark night

you held my hand

reminded me to look for the white line on the road

to watch for traffic

to listen for the direction of the river babble

 

150.

we walked in the dark

away from the margins

away from the walls of jericho

& when the stars dimmed

 

you & I were enveloped into a darkness

with hard edges & a soft centre

 

watch for traffic

remember the road line

stick to our stories

hold hands, hold hands

on the road home

we forgot about jericho

we had each other

& a cabin that waited