by Aideen Henry
I am jealous of the air
he breathes and displaces,
the water that washes over him,
lingering randomly in horizontal bodily fossae,
the mirror he peers into,
the comb that traces his hair pattern,
the aftershave that lingers on his face,
the clothes that variously enfold him,
the socks that envelope his awkward toes,
the leather shoes his feet give shape to.
I am jealous of the ground
that meets his outstretched foot,
the seat he yields his weight to,
the leather bag he grips purposefully,
the business he attends to,
the friends he embraces,
the colleagues who relate so casually,
not seeing the angel within,
not feeling the warm tide of his love
wash over their souls.
I yearn for
fights unfought,
love unmade,
children unborn,
depths of mutual knowing
unreached.
I wish to know him with all of my senses.
My world is beige.
My feelings unchanged.
Time does not heal.
I am jealous of the air
he breathes.
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ABOUT THE POET ~
April 2010; shortlisted for the Hennessy XO Literary Awards, Emerging Poetry Section., May 2010: My first collection of poetry, Hands Moving at the Speed of Falling Snow, was published by Salmon Poetry., I am currently working on a second collection of poetry, due for publication in Spring 2012. A number of my poems have been published previously in literary journals and magazines including, West47, Crannóg, Stony Thursday Book, Revival, The Shop, Ropes, Southword Cúirt Annual, The Sunday Tribune, Ourobouros Review, Ulla’s Nib, Molloch., I also write short fiction (shortlisted for the Francis McManus award 2011, stories published in 2 anthologies) and drama ( 2 one act plays staged) and film (one short and one full length script)
Last updated May 26, 2011