Wingless Phoenix in Wal-Mart

On By DoraIn Poems

360px-Mosaïque_Phénix_01

A wingless phoenix in Wal-Mart
By Special K and Quaker Oats
Stands mid-aisle, stock still, face pinched.
His eyes shift blank and stare
At a nightmare in the lightning flashes of his brain
Even with the doctor’s little pills, Franken-Berry,
Untethered chemistry, synaptic discord
A conflagration he could barely control
Or it would blaze into fiery immolation

As it was doing now
Had done a thousand times before
But for the clenched claws
Would knock down the hazy stupor of the day
Into wide Tartarus.

Storm-flash gone, he lifts his hand
Past packaged heads, past canned voices
Past paranoia, past schizophrenia
For the Lucky Charms
Broken bits of childhood psalms
Crayon memories
Of a Man walking on water
Leading him home
A child of God by name.

9 thoughts on “Wingless Phoenix in Wal-Mart”

  1. Reblogged this on Dreams from a Pilgrimage and commented:

    You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
    You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
    Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

    How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
    I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
    And when I wake up,
    you are still with me! (Psalm 139: 15-18)

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    Reply

    1. Thanks so much! I did not know but am not surprised at the phoenix imagery for the resurrection. There is a sense in which the rebirth – new birth – happens on this side of heaven as well, of course, but the image fits so aptly for rising from death to eternal life.

      Like

      Reply

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