john grey
John Grey is an Australian born poet and works as
financial systems analyst. Recently published in Poem, Spindrift, Prism
International and the horror anthology, “What Fears Become”with work
upcoming in Potomac Review, Hurricane Review and Pinyon.
THE BATTLE OF SYCAMORE STREET
So what kind of armor is a kitchen
when the knife blade has infiltrated,
the onion you peel is a mole.
What protection does
the low hum of the refrigerator
or the rings of the stove offer,
when spies are guiding your hand
through the layers, cuffing side
inches from your fingers,
juice spraying dangerously close
to your eyes.
And what sort of battle is it
when it’s light and warm out there
in their morning camp,
with scattered traffic on the street outside,
a garden, a lawn,
a child playing.
The enemy is relentlessly friendly.
It’s your own troops you must guard against.
And about that lump on your breast.
Nothing if it were a swelling
on the sidewalk, one more protuberance
in the rocky back yard.
But when your own artillery
points in your direction...
no wonder knife slices flesh,
onion draws tears.
Still, there’s no way to surrender.
Your white flag’s in the wash.