In a personal
ground-level
crisis
a mask may descend.
Take it off.
Then attend
to a child
or a friend.
Poem and photo by Rachel McAlpine
Poems
Fortunately
Fortunately
this experience gives you
the experience required
to survive
an experience
like this.
poem and photo by Rachel McAlpine
A useful tip
When in doubt
do something
that you’ve done before.
When in pain
do something
that you’ll never do again.
poem and photo by Rachel McAlpine
Shoulder
He’s a shoulder.
Should this, should that,
should her.
Cold shoulder.
That showed her.
He should should should
offer a shoulder
and murmur
‘How do you feel?’
*
Rachel McAlpine
Bliss
One night I shall despise him but this night
he is the great white tame hawk
perched beating at my teeth.
He is the scimitar I carry trembling
down the cliff of my sleep.
One day I shall be ashamed.
I shall speak.
*
Rachel McAlpine
(Title is same as the title of a short story by Katherine Mansfield that inspired this poem.)
Spirituality is not
Spirituality is not
a gift shop.
Not yodelling or mazes
or crystals or church.
A reluctant noun,
it would rather be
a private verb,
a silent move
like go or flow
or sting or stray
or love.
– – – – – –
Rachel McAlpine
Some can only sing in a choir
Some can only sing in a choir.
Some can only sing solo.
Some know when to join the crowd
and when they need to follow.
Some have a Yea-Lord back-up choir
they cannot see or swallow.
– – – – – –
Rachel McAlpine
