story within a story
ancient bleeding
inside a dead girl sleeping
inner lifeless child
rising up and raising
an anaemic hope of dignity
that years of steady dripping
had bled a sickly white.
young and old
nestled mutually
inside a quiet healing
back and forth
in and out
a dialogue of years
unphased
by mournful mocking
and short-fused questions
aimed at blowing up the obvious.
the guffaws of the aggrieved,
discipleship gone sarcastic
in midday heat and jostle,
a saving power cutting through
speaking its own language
TALITHA KOUM!
“little girl get up!
take your old woman
and walk.”
stories within stories.