Holy Land, Your Place, Your Flesh -

Would you crusade to remote regions
in search of that timeless tomb, the one made of seasalt & sandstone,
to towns tempered by the terror of war, windswept with worry,

Do prayer calls of the Jihadist singe the comfort breathing in your books of traditions,
could the Koran summon an instinct of journey in the feet of your hopes,
perhaps the Bardo Thadol a simmering shout from the monastery of one's monsters
suppressed in cells of selfless sorrow, daring repressed in reminiscence of rectitude,
in the Old Testament do you find aged allergies or fertile figments of prophets' pennies,
saviors in the center of gravity cinching the flinching surfacing in proverbs proofing
along the borders of the desserts chilling in the kitchen of your cares,

Maybe in front of the Wailing Wall you'd find dust entreating you to become a martyr
for the charm of morning, on your knees amid the Caaba perhaps sand jinies will jest,
in the midst of the tree grip of Angkor Watt the tongue of first life might muse of miracles
sewn into the sackcloth of parents' aspirations, conceptions wrought from the wanted,
take it to the sky, take it to the soil, take it to the core, let saints keep score,
take it 'till there is no more - 

J.A.B. %
Copyright © | Year Posted 2012

Poem

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Anglesey Avatar
September 15, 2013 at 8:08 PM
Fantastic! I gave up religion for the sanctity of spiritual harmony. You are such a philosophical visionary my friend... love it :)
Bordner Avatar
September 17, 2013 at 1:20 PM
A while ago I realized, at least for me, that great literature should combine History, Metaphysics & Future Vision - so glad this composition stimulaed your soul Karen - J.A.B. %
Atry Avatar
January 2, 2013 at 6:30 PM
YOU KNOW ME SO WELL....
Bordner Avatar
January 3, 2013 at 5:23 PM
I know you so well because I have painstakingly cultivated a skill for regonizing beauty and strength in the obvious, as well as in the inconspicuous - it is a delight to have your presence so near Brenda - J.A.B. %
Kendrick Avatar
January 2, 2013 at 6:10 PM
Interesting work about Israel..Sara
Bordner Avatar
January 3, 2013 at 5:27 PM
This composition is descriptive of the holy temple within all of us, and the error and futility of searching for approval from outside of our innate nexus with divinity Sara - Israel is a rather confusing symbol - I appreciate your attention my friend -J.A.B. %
Maverick Avatar
December 28, 2012 at 9:02 AM
Wow Justin there's a surfit of Possibilitys; a surge of responsbilitys A range of incomparablitys outside of Predictabilty.." ( anyway enjoyed the write )
Bordner Avatar
December 30, 2012 at 2:49 PM
Yes Joe, let each and every one of us give the world something worth remembering - Holiness, or holilands are not reserved for the few - make a good fate out of this life - J.A.B. %
Loveless Avatar
December 18, 2012 at 10:05 AM
Why groundswell girl lol
Bordner Avatar
December 30, 2012 at 2:44 PM
Because heroic women make mens' landscapes shift my friend - J.A.B. %
Mac Donald Avatar
November 22, 2012 at 8:02 AM
( I shuffle my feet aimlessly...), I'm so sorry I hadn't commented before now, Justin. Had read this before, love the images.."sewn into the sackcloth of parents' aspirations". If only there were a "muse of miracles" or "sand jinies" that could end all the cruelty and voilence. Withall, withstanding, would the Wailing wall become the Wall of peace and joy? Keep well...Love, Mikki
Bordner Avatar
November 22, 2012 at 9:15 AM
A beautiful commentary Mikki - whats more, let us not devolve into becoming our own wailing wall - I am thankful for your intelligence and care - J.A.B. %
A   Avatar
November 14, 2012 at 7:54 PM
Hello Justin, :-) I would search this tomb, if timeless sat there. Some tears will never remove the stones, ..my flesh is only the beginning tool in the word SEARCH,,,, love and enjoyed...pd
Bordner Avatar
November 14, 2012 at 9:43 PM
Perhaps the Tomb is the vessel housing our souls - let us search the landscape of our direct mystery and conduit to the begining and ending of time - I respect your comment my friend - J.A.B. %
Horsman Avatar
November 10, 2012 at 10:24 AM
A poem of the way it is, and a streaming message....religion faced with each other, yet individually people can and do want to live in harmony....
Bordner Avatar
November 12, 2012 at 10:00 AM
The primary purpose of this poem is to elucidate the fact that we are the greatest mysteries in our own lives; that our bodies, motivations, creations etcetera far surpass any doctrine, mystery teaching or even any physical Holy Site - Yes Harry, and the harmony must begin within ourselves - J.A.B. %
Wesley Avatar
November 8, 2012 at 7:55 PM
You get to the core of the matter Justin; I feel the activity, tension and the sounds of civilizations as they never give an inch to acommodate their neighbors. I wonder what it would be like to live in Israel with all those hordes of enemies that want to blot you out all around. There's a fantastic message in this and I was able to connect with it. Bravo for a great one, Love, Lizzie
Bordner Avatar
November 9, 2012 at 7:00 PM
I appreciate your perspective Lizzie - in a way this composition is about empathy, archaeology, realizing that in each of us there exists a mystery greater than any public doctrine or magnificent monument - that differences make the world more stimulating - thanks for everything Elizabeth - J.A.B. %
Loveless Avatar
November 6, 2012 at 8:56 AM
This envokes visions of a profits feet...where shall they take him, who's words will he follow, will he realize the truth that they are all the same. I love the ones that you spun so artfuly
Bordner Avatar
November 6, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Precisely Jay - we must develop the strength to realize that at some point in our lives we need to be the prophets of our own destiny & fate with guidance from Providence - this write is definitely about journey - J.A.B. %
Brown Avatar
November 6, 2012 at 7:19 AM
An outstanding write and very enjoyable read Justin. Love, Carol
Bordner Avatar
November 6, 2012 at 12:15 PM
Thanks Carol - glad you appreciate the cosmopolitan feel to this poem - J.A.B. %
Breidenthal Avatar
November 5, 2012 at 9:13 PM
Marvelous write! I appreciate your splendid metaphors that overall enhance the entirety of the poem. And what a way to wrap it all up in the end! Interesting last line of the second stanza by the way. Quite the verse! Always, Laura
Bordner Avatar
November 6, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Yes Laura, the conclusion is very energetic, almost defiant, and a rather swift transition from the preceeding stanzas - thanks alot for studying my work - J.A.B. %
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