Prophecy

Abstract

Prophecy Amy McCleese Nichols (bio) I quit smoking some time ago, and I do not miss the stench,Nor the half-caught breaths, the wheeze of undiscovered asthma.Rather, I miss the fire of it, drifts of smoke like incense,The seeking of ways, a step outside to test the winds,The slowing of time, the pull to a bare hilltop.The red ember a divining rod to stir,Pull the entrails of life all apart,See the pattern and pray for guidance.I was a prophet, then, a truth-seeker,And no one came near who could not bear the weight of ashes,The stench of death surrounding me.Now, when I need to throw the bones, I step outside,But what shall I find to cry to those who pass “Hold! Have you seen?”How else can I carry a censor out into these holy streets? [End Page 107] Amy McCleese Nichols Amy McCleese Nichols grew up in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, and remains invested in the places and experiences of her home region. She was the 2016 recipient of the University of Louisville Creative Writing Award for Poetry, and her work has also appeared previously in Pine Mountain Sand and Gravel and Appalachian Review. She holds a doctorate in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of Louisville and currently serves as the Director of Writing Resources at Berea College. Copyright © 2020 Berea College