Horses Seen Through Horizons

Tell me of the mosque you saw in the distance
that shone blue-on-blue.
Tell me.
Tell me of the seven precious metals that inlaid it and the child whose hand reached up to catch the starry straw falling.
Tell me.
Tell me of singing in the high Atlas mountains
and the singing that grew and fell on the Andes
that sang of the blue and gold mosque you saw in the distance.
Tell me.
Tell me of the hands and arms raised to heaven
the neck thrown back
and the toes that tipped and to’ed on solid rock.
Tell me.
Tell me of time spent heaving bricks made from horse hair
and mortar
made from lime kilns and killing fields
in the space of time it takes to thread a hair, or a lie, through a needle,
hair from horses bred for purity and wisdom that sing the violin bow sweetly.

I can smell the heat of horses.
I can hear the high screamed beat of a stallion.
I can see you reaching to the mosque of blue-on-blue
that you saw through horizons.

* * * * *

Holy Week in Granada

Last night a moon broke over me,
flushing my skin.
Somewhere, last night, an olive was eaten.

At dusk petals fall.
Lord, water my mouth
Lemons scimitar ginger sky
Lord, water my mouth.

On a wall in the old town,
on a wall where birds dawn,
on a wall in the old town where birds have flown,
grows a tree we plucked figs from.

water my mouth, Lord
make me split like ripe figs.

Last night I went out, leaving myself
forgotten among lilies.


* * * * *


Alchemy

the alchemy of sand
in an azure desert
and you, a hawk,
and i below you,
a mirage
until spoken to;

and you and i a hawk and a mirage in a desert of blue
and the alchemy of sand and sound and fierce whips of wind spinning us round

in the alchemy of sand and sound
in a desert of azure.

the tightness of sound and the songness of birds wheeling over our heads
reminds me of times spent on the high plateau when i whirled with seven dervishes;
one playing a drum, one playing a flute, one holding my hand.

was it you

in the desert

of sand
and sound
and azure
in the blue of fierce alchemy?


© Geraldine Green, UK., 19.10.2004 & 31.10.2004 & 15.11, 2004