Christine Phillips | + Follow Poet |
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The Alchemy Moon

I sprang  from my make shift bed
at three am and hurried through 
the malodorous door at a quarter to four
I was tormented all night
with rambling and cooking on the upper floor
and putrid fish odor seeping through my door 
sending rancid  fume into my head 
spreading  an unhealthy discombobulated energy 
The entire town  was asleep but the Vietnamese boy
was busy all night on his computer 
and watching out the window
He has been listening and watching since I got here
And communicating with eminence from the hemisphere
As soon as venture out the door
unscrupulous men drove quickly out of their secret holes
acting as though they are on call
I walked on the median along the road
watching them speeding down the street
lining up behind one another looking petrified as ever
The same imbecile game has been played 
And kept repeating itself every day
I know their faces and license tags
their houses and gate numbers
But what use is this to me 
no more than a mere mockery
I kept walking on the street
listening to my heart beat
with the alchemy moon guiding me
I headed towards the East 
and gazed at the alchemy moon
and alas I had a spiritual encounter
A tailless squirrel with big bulging eyes
came out of nowhere and crossed my path
I walked over and shine my flashlight on it 
but it stared at me  and departed in the bush
I kept walking along the path whispering a prayer in my heart
and one more squirrel crossed in front of me
It glanced at me briefly and scampered in the bushes
I kept my eyes on the alchemy moon 
with its crescent shape curled up in the sky 
gazing at me from a high
I ended up at exit sixty six East 
and the power of God was all over me
I sat flat on the bare ground 
praying a prayer for everyone around
Tears rolled down my  weary eyes
I know that God was standing by
I was praying for more than an hour
and when I opened my eyes 
the traffic  was built up in all directions
Trucks buses vans cars and motorbikes
ran furiously up and down the street
building up tension and releasing toxic fumes everywhere
I made my way back on the track 
and walked quickly in the dark
humming a tune from the depth of my heart
All of a sudden another squirrel jumped in front of me 
with its intumesce eyes penetrating me
Our eyes interlocked for a brief moment
and it mumbled some words but the
sound of the traffic drowned it out 
Three tailless squirrels met me today
I don't know what  they want to say
But the alchemy moon took me home 
and kept me in tune.

Copyright © Christine Phillips | Year Posted 2017

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