her doors all shored, swan sanctuary sought,
simultaneously shut out
she’s been beating them down to let herself back
in to herself

all because
– all? –
stranger guards
denied her temple’s sanctity

distraught a vision pauses her
all too human task

of so many temple intruders past
wild ones in need of a Holy of Holies
doors broken down broken in
to stand, sit, kneel, lie with it, in it,
on it, by it, at it, from it, of it, to have it

how deep even in unknowing
the temple lay, in every way,
all around anyway

so she stops
to behold —
held in it

doors open


A. H/ K.H-H (19th September 2019) 

This poem refers a little to an unpublished poem of mine called Leda – inspired by a painting I was introduced to in a writing group by John Bellany of Leda and the Swan. That may explain the swan sanctuary reference, and others should you ever read it. I hope this works anyway.