Books Original Writing
Points Elsewhere by Judith Fitzgerald
By Judith Fitzgerald
May 27, 2008, 10:53 GMT

He inclines his head towards midnight's guttering clashes,
acutely intuits his role in this tiny tableau —
her pitched darkness, restively keyed to the art of damage
(or drama, tires screaming, the spectral careening glazing
her panic dread — automatic — smudge of violet swells
marrying vague horizons — her personal hell exposed —
his hand held just so, hers shielding face from lips to lashes).
Oh, God, he loves her.  He's sorry.  He's a fucking monster.

She reaches out to someone who cannot hear nor help her
because the roar of the ocean swallows voices and cries
with astonishing swiftness, with supreme disinterest
in all-too-familiar reenactments of primeval
brutalities beyond comprehension — Chrysanthemums?
Jesus, recall all those wild Irish roses brambling hair
and skin, their bloodless petals sharply crimson and brilliant
in their absolute faith beauty's future remains secure?

It gathers ice-rough raindrops pooling beneath blankened sky
in its arms, its articulated layers unfolding
dusk-deep colour fastening stem to starblight, first yellow-
gangrene, now, indigo-mauve broken.  The ocean a ghost
mirror in denial roaring its growling stamina —
its inexorably seductive pull embattling
the only way out — out of the question — the only way
back to healing leaving love alone to fend for itself
in the bruised rainbow of bituminous rage-blasted eye.

Canadian poet and literary critic Judith Fitzgerald's critically acclaimed Adagios Quartet's BOOK III: Electra's Benison has just been named one of The Globe and Mail's TOP 100 BOOKS (2007).