Standing stone, Cumbria

touchstone

touch the stone
the surface is rough
the heart is hard
sunside it’s warm
in shadow it’s cold

push the stone
heavy beyond belief
the base is deep
tip beyond reach
sides are steep
unscaleable

rock
immovable
rock
immutable
knock
the pain away

crush the vainless
squash the pointless
quash the upsurge
block the possibility
of a seed
of a start
of a breath
of a hint
before it begins
to offer a healing
then fail to deliver
a thing

the rock
makes a big impression on me
but I make no impression on it
except the temporary trails
of blood from my temples
and torn finger tips

the sun sets
the same

.