identity

Shadows on foam

~ Rachel McAlpine ~ Leave a comment

shadow_on_foam.jpg

here we are who we are
shadows on foam
littoral lateral between the sea
and feathery reality

skidding and sliding
here not here nor there
dots in a layer
of water on sand

maybe a simile
no, this is literal
us as the foam
in the shade on the sea

Rachel McAlpine

Who am I? Who are you? How do you know? Sometimes I lose myself in a strange space, and I enjoy those moments of anonymity. Do you? The poem (like many on this blog) is a first draft and will no doubt change and change again: in this case, so appropriately.

Poem and photo cc by 2.00 Rachel McAlpine as usual—i.e. feel free to share. 

Your heart is dancing

~ Rachel McAlpine ~ 3 Comments
MRI Sagittal view of the heart. Image courtesy St Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, Canada
MRI Sagittal view of the heart. Image courtesy St Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada

Your marrow misbehaves
but a large part of you
is dancing. 

Your heart is dancing a minuet,
dancing through
the inner you, 

and you are still truly you,
deep as cells, deep
as metaphysics.

My brother-in-law, as part of the management and treatment of his leukaemia, watched his own heart beating during a scan. He was filled with wonder at this marvellous privilege and at the beautiful dance his heart was performing. 

poem by rachel mcalpine cc-by-2.0