Gillian Swain -#39- answerings

and how did the storm treat you

sheets lit
sky bright
skin electric
took me up
gave a good thrashing
hung me out   strung
among the stars

how did the ground reply

grass leant
back to let it 
in   happy for the return
of wild
familiar wind hurl of   rain 
slid like syrup down
soft blades
to earth

were you hungry in the cold

not cold
warm air   wet every
pore swam and i gave it
salt   my skin   its own sky
my tongue
full with the landscape   of night
hunger only for more

was it deafening

all i could hear 
was everything
flicked and billowed out
crowds of spirit answerings
there for the listener 
in time with always


was the room big enough

storm treats as it pleases
and what lush treat it is
you wonder at the space an altar 
inhabits   hear this
the gods laughed when you said that
thunder has no walls