By Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes

Walking in Ruins

Walking
in ruins
admiring columns
that support sky’s vaulted ceiling

Birds dart from cloudy frescos
into orchards overrun by grass

Climbing up stones
clamoring footsteps
of women and men

Listening
to ancient faces
words
mouthed from mosaics
buried under centuries of dirt

“We were like you,” they say,
“We raised children

faithfully
teased fruit trees from earth
offered prayers of wine
to heaven

We made love and war
tended to comfortable vines of lives scratched from dirt
with bloody hands

We never imagined
the city of lamps
might
dim our eyes
to the fragile reflection of ourselves
mirrored by sea

We were like you
too busy
staggering up insatiable cliffs
to see ourselves crumbling
into ruins
remembering the future of our past.”

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Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes

Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes was born and raised in San Diego, California. He attended Herbert Hoover High School and went on to study Religion and Theology at the University of San Diego. His book Intimate Geography, published by Ragged Sky Press, won the 2012 San Diego Book Award for Poetry. Ish, as he is known, has also written lyrics for German musicians Andrea Hörkens and Thomas Roderburg (Tender Art).

Latest posts by Ishmael von Heidrick-Barnes (see all)

• Word’s Out | Geo-Poetic Spaces - December 14, 2018
• Political Love Affair | Geo-Poetic Spaces - December 7, 2018
• Deer Tracks | Geo-Poetic Spaces - November 30, 2018