Yay - just got this poem accepted for an anthology called 'Poetry Rivals' Collection 2009 - Enlightened Cognitions' with Forward Press. It's been aaages since I had something accepted for publication in print. 100 poems get chosen from the ones published and those poets go to a slam poetry reading and read their poem to judges etc. If that happens, you get paid for it, then the overall winner gets a publishing contract. Well... we'll see! I'm just very happy to have got accepted.

From An Alley, A Flame

I waited for days inside that
alley, dark - watching - dim
but somehow smelling
of stale lavender, when my
granddaughter danced the dance
of the dying -
- mad, wild, hair tossing, eyes glitter spark
glitter spark, glitter spark, dulling, dulling.

She turns and turns, spinning -
oh daughter of daughter you will take off
these coats and we can feel the heat,
yes, love, we can feel the heat
in that body wracking with guilt,
with guilt with fear.

Once a young girl... you -
now - what are you now?
Where do you go now?
I know I cannot follow.

I tried.
I tried once.
I tried twice.
Perhaps I tried a third time.
I called you back I call you back.

You are not coming.

You never did oh my
girl when I thought you were here
you were already gone.

Now this heat, this fire
furious fighting fearsome flames.


My genius.
Burning yourself out before you could begin.

I will cry.
One day.

Not now.

Are you rising?
Burn, my flesh of flesh, burn.

Did you come back last night?
I was waiting -
the alley was silent.
I thought I saw a spark ignite
and a gate open.
Were you burning your way back home?

The fire rose quickly when the door shut.
The flames coloured the sky an orange light
like the crayons we used when you were small.

But then the cold came.

You died.
And I still don't know why.

© Morney Wilson