I have seen death
amniotic night blue-black membrane
stretched from dusk into twilight
witch of Endor, medium to Sheol
while you attempt
to stand upon spindly bones
awaiting the Divine breath
shade of the prophet Samuel, dead and wishing to remain so
(Here I am! Here I am!)
I have tasted your life
brisk beautiful wild unkempt
even as it unravels my bowels
Saul, first king, anointed of the Lord
my fingers smell of tamarisk
burning bush ash and earth
knotted and gnarled umbilical cord
the Lord your God, the Lord your God
Troy Kehm-Goins is a Puyallup poet and artist who has been published in WRIST, Post Defiance, Read Write Poem, Les Sar’zine, and Creative Colloquy. His work is a mixture of the everyday and the mythological, drawing upon diverse influences and inspirations. He has also self-published four poetry chapbooks, the most recent of which is Black Psalms.
