the face of joy

just take her away,
take away
this face of joy,
far away from me,
allow me
to close my eyes
forever,
to that taste
of infinity;

for this world
is not ready,
not yet,
to touch this
simple, pure face,
to feel her curves,
and the fullness of her lips,
and her windblown hair
streaming across
the stillness of her face;

no, this world
cannot look into her eyes,
and feel the emptiness
in its bulging hollows,
for it is too busy
filling and emptying
what cannot be
filled, emptied or hallowed;

so take her away,
this face of joy,
for I have no use for her,
for what can I do
but let her cling to me
like an invisible,
untouchable shadow?

for no one wants her
when she arrives,
there is no place
for her in this mire,
where people want
to rejoice, flaunt and drown
in their pain and horror,
where morose faces
bring warm embraces,
not this face of joy,
for you see,
no one knows
her name,
her song,
her colour.