Upbringing

Body
           air
forms
           and images

born between
           mountains
by a bay
           in the west
looking out
           across the sea
at a point where
           the river enters

grew up
           between gorse
and heather
           the taste
of wild honey
           on her lips

midnight
           held no fears
but the aching
           dawn was
by all accounts
           unbearable
the sun that
           scrutinized
her every
           movement

happiness
           seen as so many
blades of coarse grass
           there where
the withering wind
           blew in bringing
chill winter clouds
           the night fires
kindled under
           hopeless stars
a name
           and no more

John Lyons