Ambergris
conceived in the bowels of the whale
in the belly of the beast
shielding internal organs
from the sharp, steely beaks of swallowed prey
from rending pain and sorrow
laminated with layers of squid guts and bile
born soft, stygian
with the odor of rotting fish and feces
I am Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
unbending, impregnable
thrown into a fiery furnace
liberated by conviction
expelled, ejected
the dung of the whale
I am Noah
floating in the flooded wilderness
adrift in the vastness of oceans
that reflect the colors of teal green
under the burning sunshine
and dark blood aubergine at midnight
I am Jonah
rebellious, defiant
vomited out
washed up on the shore
in the place I was running from
that I was meant to serve
becoming purpose and growth
I am Abraham
hardened from years of service
with a streaky greyish yellow hue
waxy, flammable
a burning candle
a holy offering on the sacrificial altar
I am Lazurus
with a musky, earthy scent
sweet frankincense and myrrh
and my Lord smells the soothing aroma
incense, essence
offered up as a censer from my soul
and knows that my pain has infinite value
and that my sinful past has worth
After retiring recently, Mark James Trisko heard his muses yelling loudly in the night begging him to let their voices be heard. His work has appeared / is scheduled to appear in Valiant Scribe Literary Journal, Spirit Fire Review, Amethyst Review, As Surely As the Sun, and Down in the Dirt. He currently lives in Minnesota, with his beautiful spouse of 47 years, four wonderful children and eight above-normal grandchildren.
Amethyst Review 