With Faith Able to See through Walls
for D.B.A.

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That wants it down.
Robert Frost, “Mending Walls”

I thought you were behind me, she said
and I thought,
like your ass or like your tail

or like where Christ ordered the devil to get
get thee behind me, he demanded

I thought you were behind me, she said
having walked away without a word
or gesture of farewell

big hug, big smiles, sweet words
for everyone all evening
while it was winding down

for me who loves her best,
who loves her most
who loves her well

or am I attempting to love
who I do not know
or attempting to love her
before I get to know her
or while she is getting to know herself

for me the shabbiest treatment
the shabbiest response
from me, the most disconnected

my, how is such shabby treatment
to be interpreted

she'd written me a poem
or a few pieces of poetry

that or those I suppose
were suppose to mean
that I am special

her untrusting responses
or her having turned or her having come
to trust me no longer or to trust me less

arrived at this with
I do not know what all assistance
or with the assistance of who all

but having embraced it
and embraced it so very tightly
no embrace left for me

just the walls of Jericho
or the wall of China to get over
to get between us, to keep love out
to put distance between her and me

distance we traverse easily enough
when she needs me
when I need her,
she adds the Wailing Wall
and the walls about Bethlehem also
or attempts to

only I am in this city too enclosed
being the lover of Christ that I am


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2010
9:16 a.m. 27.07.10