After Healing

After healing

When the skin is so new

So pink

When the soft breath of every air current

kisses it, wakes it up

You may be cautioned

not to touch the spot too much —

Fresh blood not far below the surface

After healing

When sobs have ceased

And breathing is now smooth

When eyes have cleared

And hope and peace and shifted paradigm

have stilled the turbulence

You may be cautioned to be quiet

Not to think about the story now

And yet the urge to stand up in surprise

To run, to leap, to stretch out that old limb

which for so long had seemed unmovable 

May overcome all prudence

And the joy of feeling

reintegrated

fully woven into the essential fabric

of life

with every movement seamless, rippling

effortless

Will send you soaring

in the all-embracing wave of oneness

And it won’t matter

how new the skin

how recently the tears have ceased

Because the fresh source of your strength

pours in endlessly

and it’s enough

to replace all memory of the ill.

© Wendy Mulhern

February 28, 2012